JACKSON - Just one month after receiving its smallest monthly sales tax check in six years, Cape Girardeau County commissioners received good news Thursday.

Their check for June was the biggest monthly check the county has received since it began collecting the half-cent sales tax in 1980.

The big June check leaves Cape County running 5.11 percent ahead of the half way point in 1991. In real dollars, the county's receipts are almost $78,000 ahead of last year.

"Right now it looks real good for the year," said Associate Commissioner Leonard Sander. He suggested one reason for the big check this month could be the opening of the Wal Mart Super Center earlier this year. This is the first check that reflects an entire month's sales at the new store.

"It was way down last month and it sure looks good now," added Associate Commissioner E.C. Younghouse.

"One time it makes you weep and the next time it looks real good," said Sander.

"It certainly runs erratic," agreed Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep.

The check for June was for $422,108.59, up $60,549.08 for June of last year. Huckstep said the previous high check the county received came in September last year and was around $412,000.

In 1991 the June check was $361,559.51 and in 1990 it was $375,029.92.

Overall for the year, Cape County has collected $1,600,330.17 from the sales tax, compared with $1,522,484.64 last year at the mid-year point, and $1,533,241.43 at this time in 1990.

Although the commissioners viewed a 5 percent increase now as a positive indication that the year will end with a growth in sales tax, they all agreed that there are no guarantees.

Huckstep recalled that several times the county has had its highest growth during the first six months of the year, only to have it taper off in the second half.

Generally, however, the first six months are a good indicator of what the rest of the year will be like.

Last year, Cape County had its worst increase ever in sales tax, with receipts running less than a percent. Total receipts for the year were just over $3 million and in real dollars the increase over 1990 was around $8,000.

The county's 1992 budget is based on no growth in the sales tax.

"We have a good increase going right now," observed Huckstep. "If it consistently holds at 5 percent we're in great shape."

Younghouse pointed out that one reason there is such fluctuation in the checks are that the Department of Revenue may not always get receipts for the month counted with that month. Or, if the payments were received late, they are not counted until the next month.

Huckstep said although the county has not budgeted any growth in sales tax, some expenses are higher than anticipated such as insurance coverage.

"It just seems like costs keep creeping up on us," he declared. It's an ongoing battle to keep control on spending."

Huckstep noted that the tight economic conditions have made the sales tax unpredictable the last two years.

"We're looking forward to the time when we can have good steady growth in revenue every year like we had several years ago," said Huckstep.