FUNDING FOR HIGHWAY LOBBYING NEEDS EXPLANATION

The Cape Girardeau City Council has kicked in another $10,000 in support of lobbying efforts for a proposed highway between Paducah and southern Missouri. Recent studies have suggested several alternate routes, including across Southern Illinois and the new Mississippi River bridge here that is under construction.

The money will go into a special account set up by the city last March to administer funds contributed for this lobbying effort. The city also gave $5,000 in 1994, and $15,200 had been put into the city-administered fund before the latest contribution. Cape Girardeau County and Jackson along with businesses are being asked to contribute another $40,000 for the lobbying effort.

Because the contributions include taxpayers' money, it behooves the city, as administrator of these funds, to give an account of how the funds are being used -- and what results are being achieved. With positive information, there is a likelihood that even more financial support would be generated.