CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Heartland News) – The City of Cape Girardeau is suspending its Restaurant Tax Committee as city leaders seek more economic data and community input.
Cape Girardeau Mayor Robbie Guard announced that the pause will allow city officials to study tourism patterns, evaluate current tax revenues, and study the impact of changes on businesses, tourists and Cape Girardeau residents.
Mayor Guard says the city council is in the process of hiring an independent consultant to perform the analysis. Guard adds that any potential tax proposal that would go before voters has been pushed back to at least April 2028.
“This is not a decision to rush,” Guard said. “When we ask our residents to consider any tax change, we have a responsibility to clearly demonstrate why the revenue is needed, what it would accomplish, how it would benefit the community, and what the cost would be to individuals and families.”
Guard noted that the city previously used an outside consultant during the planning of the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex.
Mayor Guard says the research will answer several questions including:
The number and type of visitors coming to Cape GirardeauWhere visitors are coming from and how long they stayVisitor spending at restaurants, hotels, retail establishments and attractionsThe economic impact of tourism on local businesses and jobs;The relationship between tourism-related spending and existing tax revenuesHow current hotel, motel and restaurant tax revenues are being utilizedFuture tourism opportunities and infrastructure needsThe potential economic impact of any proposed restaurant tax increase on local restaurants, residents and visitors
Over the next 18 months, the city plans to hold discussions with local restaurant owners, business leaders, and residents before drafting any formal proposal.
“We need to hear from the people who would be directly affected,” Guard said. “Restaurant owners need to have a voice in this discussion. So do our residents, our tourism industry and our business community. Taking additional time gives us the opportunity to have those conversations rather than trying to force a decision before we have all the information.”
Mayor Guard pointed out that the pause does not mean an end to tourism or economic development, just a pause on changes to the work of the Restaurant Tax Committee.
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