Speakout

I pick No

I'd like to speakout about the "Count me as a No vote." I agree with that person. I truly believe the money that the taxpayers pay is spent unwisely. Some places that need money spent on them, they don't get it. They pick and choose where they are gonna spend money. I'm 62 years old. There's a ballpark out here in Sunset. They've got the same lights they had when I was a kid. They spend plenty money elsewhere on streets that they pick and choose all over town. They gonna give the police another raise? They just gave them a $3,000 across the board raise. They want to give $700,000 for raises for the police? That makes no sense. Y'all just built a couple a million dollar police station. You get new fire trucks and stuff like that every year that they just drive back and forth to restaurants. They seem to think they are better than everybody else. The raise you want to give the policemen is more than what the street and the park departments get together. It makes no sense. I just want to let you know that I'm gonna vote no like a lot of other people are. Thank you for your time.

I certainly hope you change your mind because this vote is extremely important. The ballpark you mentioned is indeed part of the Sikeston park system. And just like the Complex, this park has unmet needs that hopefully can be addressed with additional revenues from the sales tax. The estimated cost for light replacement at the park mentioned is an estimated $35,000. The city simply does not currently have those funds available. I don't agree that the city has made unwise spending decisions. The problem is a lack of revenue because of flat retail sales here and across the nation. The fire division does not get a new truck every year and those facts are available on the city's website and elsewhere.The revenue from the sales tax will help not only Public Safety but the parks and streets as well. We hope you'll join your neighbors in supporting Tuesday's ballot measure.