The passage or failure of a ballot issue facing Salem voters Tuesday will have long-range ramifications.

Proposed is a one-half percent additional income tax for capital improvements. It would be for four years beginning Jan. 1.

It has been decades since there was a tax increase. That is what critics of the proposed increase point to. Why now? After all, the city has gotten by for years and years without a tax increase.

Those who support the tax - including its leading proponent, Mayor Jerry Wolford - stress that the increase would generate sorely-needed money for projects such as combating floods and street improvements. They claim that there isn't anywhere else to viably get it right now. The feeling is too that many against a tax increase are against it in large part because they are against the mayor and others who back it. In other words, the usual political spin we all get sick and tired of.

We should all agree that the streets and flooding issues need to be addressed. There is a big problem when, for instance, the main intersection in town has flooded so badly in recent years that water is lapping up against our own chamber of commerce building. Also, no city resident should have to deal with the continual flooding issues which again became a hot topic this past summer after hard rains. There are roads that certainly are begging for work. The city shouldn't also have to worry about salt trucks breaking down.

The money generated by the levy passage would be not be used for city operations but for capital improvements such as bolstering infrastructure. Backers say that these improvements will benefit the city long after the four years of the increase. They also stress that the proposed increase would be applied to earned income only and not pension or Social Security. We do agree that those retired should not have to pay an increase. Many of our older residents have lived here for years and years. They pay a fair share of tax during those years. Thus they earned the right to benefit from any changes additional tax revenue would generate.

The city's unions back a tax increase which isn't surprising. That's because in part city workers certainly don't want to have to give anything back come next contract time. The current contract is a sore spot for many who feel that cuts need to be made among the city forces. Granted city employees have wonderful insurance plans that most of us in the private sector would love to have. But, keep in mind, any of the wages and benefits that the employees have were delivered in good bargaining faith, signed and sealed, by the city. Those must be honored. We all saw what happened with those in city government tried to dissolve the fire department with the rallying cry of it would benefit the city. They were all defeated in the election - a stunning development to see so many incumbents get removed in a single election. The next time city contracts come up, concessions will have to be considered. But they can't be now.

Backers of the proposed increase stress that it will not be used for any kind of drag strip land purchase or operation. The $1.8 million produced annually would be used for paving, storm water upgrades, a completion of the East Pershing Street upgrade and economic development.

Our city needs all of that. Consider that tomorrow when you go to vote. Look at the numbers as you wish. A half-percent increase in this instance does translate to a 50 percent increase in what we now pay. That means, for example, someone earning say $40,000 yearly would be paying $600 annually instead of a current $400. At face value, $200 is a significant sum for most of us. But the reality is that Salem needs money and it isn't coming from anywhere else anytime soon. Making cuts such as with the safety forces shouldn't be called for. Our city needs every police officer and fire fighter it has. Going back to that extra $200 a $40,000 wage earner would be paying. It breaks down to an extra 55 cents a day. Taken in that context it isn't so overwhelming. A single candy bar costs more than that.

Granted, none of us wants to pay anymore taxes. But in his case, we think it would be worth paying for improvements. This newspaper backed Jerry Wolford for mayor and we are backing a proposed tax increase which will benefit all Salem residents. It would be an investment in the future of Salem.