Council to discuss raising fire services assessment
This city of Cape Coral is looking at raising its levy for fire services.
Cape Coral City Council will discuss raising the city’s fire services assessment from 70% of the cost of Cape Coral Fire Department operations to 81%. That “cost recovery” money goes into the city’s general, or operations, fund.
At 70% cost recovery, the assessment for an average single-family home last year was estimated at $478.39, an increase of $55.61, or a 13.15% change year over year for the current fiscal year.
Council had raised the assessment from 62% to 70% in August 2023, a total revenue increase of $13.5 million.
CCFD services were part of the city’s property tax-funded General Fund until the recovery assessment began in 2014 in the wake of the Great Recession. The first levy was set at 38% of cost of operations with the remaining 62% of operational costs still funded with ad valorem property tax revenue.
In 2016 that cost recovery shot up to 64% where it stayed for a couple of years before dropping to 59% and then up to 62% before reaching 70%, where it has remained. As submitted to the Cape Coral City Council, City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn’s budget came in with a General Fund budget of $264,339,124 and an all-funds budget of $1,495,767,829.
Raising the fires services assessment was one of three options Council was given this budget cycle to help fund an additional $66.5 million in unfunded staff-requested positions and projects for the new fiscal year to begin Oct. 1.
The other options were to raise the current property tax rate of 5.2188 mills or increase the city’s tax on electric bills, currently 7% in addition to a 3% franchise fee. One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable assessed valuation.
At 5.2188 mills, the city would receive an estimated $2,340,996 in additional revenue due to an overall increase in taxable valuation.
The city manager’s proposed changes to the 2026 budget include an increase transfer out to the Community Redevelopment Agency of $263,381, a senior paralegal position for the city attorney’s office at $151,991, fire transfer out adjustment of $36,785, adjust three plan review technicians from building fund to general fund in the amount of $269,169 and a code compliance supervisor of $183,101, a police sergeant for parking enforcement for $168,348, administrative assistant – parking enforcement for $72,263 and four contract citation officers for parking enforcement at $145,372, a sidewalk for Hector Cafferata for $664,888 and Parks and Rec Lake Kennedy Program expense for $36,442.
The proposed budget includes the proposal of a CT code compliance officer of $20,049, a CT administrative technician of $17,185 for the city clerk and senior paralegal at $151,991 for the city attorney.
Other program modifications requests for 2026 that have been approved and included in the proposed budget include road resurfacing for $3,861,575 for public works, emergency management coordinator for $113,124,
For the fire department, multiple things have been approved for the proposed budget. Those include a data analyst for $121,742, direct capture station bay exhaust removal system at $1,375,000, fire fighters – offset with decrease in overtime, for $1,446,614, fire inspector for $226,943, logistics manager for $159,254 and code compliance officers for $537,242.
For police, the approved positions for the proposed budget include an administrative specialist for $86,052, digital forensics technician for $79,669, police lieutenant for $331,768, nine police officers for $5,336,122, police sergeant – SRO for $306,250, police sergeant – training for $306,250 and two public service aides for $369,757.
Parks and recreation approvals for the proposed budget include a contract athletic assistant – Athletics Festival for $38,953, contract athletics officials – Athletics Festival for $50,409, and senior recreation specialist – Athletics Festival for $92,876.
The meeting will be held at 1 p.m. in City Council chambers, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd. Wednesday, July 16. The meeting is open to the public.
To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com