JACKSON -- Cape County Auditor H. Weldon Macke thinks he knows why county sales tax receipts continue to record double-digit increases each month.

The reason? People continue to spend more money in the county. Not only residents, but people from nearby counties and beyond also consider Cape Girardeau a good place to shop, eat, and stop while on a trip.

"I think we're beginning to be known as a good place to stop between St. Louis and Memphis," Macke said. "The hotels are all doing well and more rooms are under construction."

The sales tax check for July was for $305,966, the biggest ever for July and 5.8 percent more revenue than last July. For the first seven months this year, sales tax revenue is 10.4 percent ahead of the 1993 level.

So far this year, revenues from the county's half-cent sales tax have totaled $2.208,355. That's about $208,000 ahead of last year's pace, and about $336,000 ahead of this same point in 1992.

In 1993, total sales tax receipts for the county came to $3.450 million, which was an increase of 7.02 percent over the previous year.

Since the county has funded the general revenue portion of its budget with sales tax money exclusively for more than a dozen years, the continued increase is good news for county officials.

It is especially good news for Macke, who carefully monitors sales tax revenue to spot any trends.

"We may finally be getting on the map where people are saying Cape's a good spot to go to," said Macke. "I think Cape is really beginning to get known as a retail center for the whole area, and that's being reflected in our sales tax growth."