THREE TAX MEASURES ON BALLOT TUESDAY

School officials in three districts are hopeful the lack of community patter regarding tax hikes voters will consider Tuesday is not the quiet that precedes a storm of rejection.

Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Perryville school districts all have tax increase proposals up for consideration. The districts want more local funding to cover increased day-to-day expenses for salaries, higher fuel bills and other costs.

Cape Girardeau's proposed tax increase of 58 cents per $100 assessed valuation is the largest of the three requests for more funding.

Jackson and Perryville schools are both requesting increases of 25 cents per $100 assessed valuation.

Campaign committees in the three districts have used low-key promotional methods to win support for the measures.

The tactic may be a good one, since single ballot issues typically draw between 20 percent and 27 percent of voters, according to the Cape Girardeau County clerk's office. Turnout is usually better when the issue includes a tax increase or tax extension.

Fewer than 900 voters -- just 3.4 percent of the city's registered voters -- participated in a February 2000 election to consider the city of Cape Girardeau's $8.5 million sewer revenue bond issue. The measure did not call for any tax increase or extension.

Pretty fair interest'

Cape Girardeau County Clerk Rodney Miller said a flurry of absentee ballots from Cape Girardeau and Jackson voters indicates next week's elections will draw more interest. Nearly 200 absentee ballots for Cape Girardeau and 60 or more from Jackson already have been cast.

"From that standpoint, that indicates a pretty fair interest. It'll be a nominal turnout, but I think a pretty good turnout," said Miller.

Cape Girardeau schools superintendent Dan Steska said his district's campaign has relied on staff members to garner support from poll partners who pledged to vote in favor of the tax increase. About 2,700 poll partners have been collected by the district's 408 staff members.

In addition to those efforts, Steska and others have made the rounds to civic meetings, and campaign committee volunteers mailed about 4,200 postcards last week reminding parents and others to support the measure Tuesday.

Steska said he believes a victory is possible for the proposal, which would raise about $19 million over five years to provide funds for increased operating costs, more competitive staff salaries and classroom equipment and supplies.

"The key issue at this point is just reminding people to keep that commitment and come out and support it," said Steska.

Jackson schools superintendent Ron Anderson said additional funding would be used to cover higher operating costs and provide additional funding to purchase new textbooks and books for school libraries.

"We've been doing a lot of networking stuff as far as getting information out, but it's all been rather low-key," said Anderson. "I guess the approach has been more on trying to get supporters to the polls."

Perryville school leaders could not be reached for comment Friday. Schools superintendent Stephen Doerr said last month the proposal, if approved, would be the first tax increase to pass for the district in 25 years.

Doerr said the additional $530,000 raised annually by the tax hike will help but won't be enough to resolve all the district's financial problems.