Election 2026 | Question of the Week, Week 2, District 1
Each week through the Primary, The Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question. In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of space, about 100 words, for their response.
Cape Coral City Council races are non-partisan races. Council members qualify in their respective districts but are elected at-large. This means all registered city voters may cast a ballot in each race regardless of where they live and the party to which they are affiliated, if any. This year’s Primary, on Aug. 18, features three Cape Coral City Council races: Mayor and the seats for District 1 and 6. District 4, with only two candidates, will be on the Nov. 3 General Election ballot.
The candidates below are running for the District 1 Cape Coral City Council seat:
Question of the Week: What are your top three issues and why?
• Sean Hartman
1. Long-Term Growth. I believe we need to plan for the future, especially if the property tax amendment succeeds. We must remain “Uniquely Cape Coral,” and not turn into an urban metropolis like Orlando or Miami.
2. Permitting Reform. Residents and business owners that I speak to are tired of the delays. That is why I came up with my De-HOA Cape Coral Plan to reform permitting by streamlining and cutting unnecessary permits, bringing in more agents, and enforcing uniform standards
3. Trust in City Government. The people do not trust their city government, and that must be addressed by their elected representatives.
• David Newton
My top three priorities are public safety, infrastructure, and transparency because they directly affect every family in Cape Coral. Keeping our community safe will always come first, because nothing is more important than protecting our loved ones. We must also invest in reliable infrastructure that supports our growing city and preserves our quality of life for future generations. Finally, I believe trust is earned. Residents deserve a City Council that listens, communicates openly, and makes decisions honestly, with the people of Cape Coral — not politics — at the center of every decision.
• Thomas James Senatore
My top priorities are making the Utility Expansion Project (UEP) more affordable, strengthening our economy, and restoring the Yacht Club. The UEP has become too expensive for many residents, and we must improve oversight, review contracts, and seek competitive pricing to protect taxpayers. We also need to attract more commercial businesses and quality employers to create good-paying jobs, reduce traffic across our bridges, and expand our commercial tax base, easing the burden on homeowners. Finally, the Yacht Club should once again be a community destination. After the seawall is complete, we should reopen the beach, restore the boat slips to generate revenue, and make practical, cost-effective improvements instead of pursuing unnecessary and expensive projects.
• Tom Shadrach
1. Affordability – With our city funded with 92% of residential tax base, keeping property taxes and assessments down is critical for our city to continue to grow and provide the needed services. Most of our problems are with mismanagement and not doing the required financial analysis before proceeding with wish list projects.
2. Safety with police and fire protection is mandatory or people will not want to live here.
3. Infrastructure – Road improvements and water quality are key to keeping our city growing. It is critical to do our best to make growth pay for growth, so timing of projects is very important, so current residents are not burdened with the cost of growth.