David Jenkins: Don’t forget to cast your vote Tuesday

In one of the best kept secrets in some time, there will be an election on Tuesday. While voters won’t be electing a president or a state official or even be voting on local city positions there are issues on the ballot for Sikeston and Miner.

In Sikeston, voters are being asked whether to allow a use tax on goods bought on the internet. I know most people cringe when they hear tax, but this isn’t a tax increase. It won’t change the current 3% city sales tax and if something like hell freezing over happened and that rate decreased, the use tax would decrease as well.

Basically the issue is more and more people are buying things on the internet taking away from local businesses. While it is pushing the smaller mom-and-pop stores out of business it is also costing the city money. Over 60% of the city’s revenue comes from sales tax revenue and that revenue is on the decline while costs are increasing.

In order to keep fixing the streets, providing public safety and other city services, the city wants Sikeston residents to pay a use tax on items purchased on the internet. It doesn’t seem like too much of an ask. If we bought the same items at the general dollar store we would paying a tax on them, so why not pay a tax on them while ordering them online? But that’s just my opinion.

There are two issues on the ballot for Miner voters. The first is Proposition A, a 1/2 cent sales tax for the funding of the police department, city administration and general operating costs.

Miner has been battling budget issues for some time now and this is an attempt to get them back in the black.

The second issue is the interesting one to me. With Proposition B, Miner voters are being asked to give the mayor power to appoint the police chief, with the approval of the Board of Alderman. Currently the power to choose the police chief is with the Miner voters and their last elected police chief was impeached by the current mayor and Board of Alderman.

It has a bad look, putting this on the ballot just months after a controversial impeachment, but Miner has never concerned themselves with perception. Fortunately I don’t live in Miner and don’t have a dog in the fight but I can promise that whatever the result, it will be entertaining.

No matter which side of any of the issues you stand on, don’t forget to vote on Tuesday. Just because we aren’t voting for a president doesn’t mean there aren’t important issues to decide.

David Jenkins is co-editor of the Standard Democrat.