No more tax increases or new taxes
To the editor:
Happy New Year, 2009 has arrived. What challenges are looking our city leaders in the eyes? The budget? Foreclosures? Unemployment? Southwest 6, 7 utility project? What else? Recession?
Due to declining property values, Cape Coral city staff is “predicting” a 35 percent drop in revenue for 2009. “Predicting!”
Supposedly 2008 showed a 25 percent decline. Thirty five percent on top of the 25 percent? Really? City staff is “predicting” a $35 million deficit. When did this revelation occur to them? Since they’re all “experts,” shouldn’t they have predicted this a long time ago when homes were on a decline? Why didn’t they save money when times were great and deposit it into a rainy day fund? Oops, I’m sorry, “save” is a four letter word. The city’s reserves on rainy day funds are dwindling fast, since they have been typed too many times. What now? “Extra taxes” on electric, water etc? Increase the millage from 4.7 percent to 7.7 percent, thus increasing taxes on our homes? Aren’t we paying enough taxes already? I heard a veteran council member once say that it’s easy to manage in good times. It’s much tougher when the money is tight. Truer words were ever spoken. Who was he referring to? Cape Coral city manager? The mayor and the rest of the council? You tell me.
Isn’t the city manager supposed to run the city, with approval of the mayor and city council? Should we hold all of them accountable?
Have all the council members done their homework, instead of allegedly just listening to staff? Rubber-stamping? Are all of them listening to us, the residents of Cape Coral? Or in one ear, out the other? Are we, the community activists, just a thorn in their side? I know for a fact, that Mr. Steward, city manager of Cape Coral, does not run city council. He made this perfectly clear to me, from the dais, at a city council meeting on Dec. 1, 2008.
“His perception that I run this city council couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m paid to advise the city council with the best information I have available. I never bully them. I never try to tell them they have to vote a certain way. I never tell them they must go in a particular direction, unless there’s a legal issue involved. It would be highly inappropriate for me to sit here at this dais and hear conversation that goes on and know that there’s information that they need and not provide them with that information. I will continue to do until this council tells me to do otherwise.”
Was my perception wrong? If it was, or is, I’m sorry. What is your perception as you watch or attend city council meetings? Contact your council representative. No more taxes! Stop the excessive spending! Cut the fat from the budget!
Erick Kuehn
Cape Coral