To the editor:

Cape Coral’s mayor and four other members of the City Council who always vote with him in support of the city manager’s spending requests would have you believe we need new sources of revenue to counter the drop in assessed values. That is sheer nonsense because the City Council has the ability to raise the millage rate to provide the same tax revenues we generated last year without raising taxes. What each of those people is saying is that they want more of our money so that they can spend more. Just like they did last year and the year before.

For example, in all of the following categories, we spent more in 2008 than we spent in 2007: executive pay and benefits, financial pay and benefits, pension benefits, Parks and Recreation pay and benefits, roads pay and benefits, water and sewer pay and benefits and even public safety pay and benefits.

How much more you may ask?

How about we spent 41 percent more in 2008 for what was classified as sewer employees, 36 percent more for water employees, 17 percent more for roads employees and 12 percent more for executive and finance employees. The 2009 budget calls for spending $100 million in transportation and $34.1 million in culture and recreation vs. only $68 million for transportation and $30 million for culture and recreation spent last year.

I should also point out ad valorem taxes have always been about 20 percent of total spending in any given year. In 2009, real estate taxes represent 20 percent of the total budget and or 61 percent of the general fund budget. Compared to some other cities, we collect and we spend far too much money for the services we receive.

We also have too many people working for the city who make over $100,000 a year. If you want to put a stop to this, you can do it in the next election by voting for people who will support Pete Brandt and Bill Deile. They are the only sensible people on the council. What is needed is a reduction in spending, not new taxes.

Sal Grosso

Cape Coral