Kudos to the City of Cape Coral?
To the editor:
The last letter I wrote back in 2012 was entitled “Cape Coral Paradise – Who Says So?” Well, four years later I haven’t changed my mind one single bit since our Southwest Five water and sewer installation eight years ago. After perusing the latest “Cape Coral On the Move” with regard to the most recent water and sewer installation it breaks my heart for these people and it stirs up these ongoing feelings because I know what exactly is in store for them. Our $32,000 figure, due to the fact that we have a three-lot site, had to go on our taxes for 20 years. I reiterate that despite the fact we have a three-lot site we probably use less water than many people who own a two-lot site. Perhaps had we had the two-lot site figure it may have been paid off by now but since that wasn’t the case we still have a hefty balance. After paying $200 extra a month for eight years, as this was the amount our mortgage amount increased due to the increase in our taxes, we still owe $16,000. I still can’t believe that a city is allowed to do such a thing to people, and I can’t believe that we are the only ones this has happened to!!! A few years ago one of the councilmen suggested that we take out a loan in order to lower the 5.25 percent interest rate that the city was charging. We did this, paid the city off, but that doesn’t alter the fact that we still owe the money!!! Therefore I say “Kudos to the City of Cape Coral” for this as you have completely eliminated any stress we may have had for choosing when and where to go on vacation. We just can’t and don’t! Any home improvement projects we might dream of doing have to be out the window. No stress there, we just can’t and don’t! We pretty much are unable to do anything that costs money because of our wonderful water and sewer and our wonderful city. We watched as many homes were lost to foreclosure as a result of the water and sewer installation trying desperately to keep ours. Why couldn’t the city have worked with these people?! Now a builder has been building a lot of homes in our area. Good for him, good for the city, good for the neighborhood, not so good for the people who lost their homes and properties. Is all of this new construction at the expense of these poor people?
There was some talk of an audit being done and some water and sewer customers were getting money back. Of course, this didn’t apply to us. Back in the Winter 2015 publication of Cape Coral’s “On the Move” Quarterly Update there was several articles of interest. One refers to the City saving $18.5 million dollars as a result of their refinancing $220 million dollars in bonds. Was any of these savings passed along to us? Of course not! If it was going to happen we haven’t seen it yet! When I saw this article I thought “Isn’t it nice that the City passes along such good news to its residents?” Wouldn’t it be even nicer if they passed some of these saving on to us, where if affects us most, in our pocketbooks?
Another article in this “On the Move” refers to the City lowering our taxes. In one breath they say they’re lowering our taxes and in the next breath they say they’re raising the fire assessment. I ask myself, when will it ever be enough for this City? This fire assessment fee, the fee they add to our electric bills, all ways of extracting money from us over and above our taxes.
Now the City wants to become our electric provider. I really cringe at the thought of this!!! Personally, I think that LCEC has done a great job these many years and once again I say “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Where else do you get an equity check every year? Do you think that will happen if the City takes over? I think not!! They’ll have full control over what is charged for our electric usage and I’m sure any costs of the takeover will be passed along to us. It didn’t surprise me in the least when the City’s latest “On the Move” contained an article stating that LCEC charged a lot more to its customers for all of these years than FPL did.
One more thing, while I’m on my soapbox, I really feel for the people who state that they are on a “fixed income.” You know you only have so much to work with. What about those of us whose employers cut their hours for whatever reasons they deem necessary? I’d wager to say that this is worse than being on a “fixed income” because you really don’t have any control in this scenario. As far as your paycheck is concerned, it’s a case of “Now you see it, now you don’t”
Thank you for allowing me to vent, venting is a good thing! Everyone has their own problems and you never really know what others deal with. This a glimpse of what it’s like to walk in my shoes. Thank you for listening!
Dorothy F. Gray
Cape Coral