To the editor:

(This was written before the Storm, but it is still applicable. I hope and pray for everyone’s safety and quick recovery.)

This City Council just loves to spend more of your money on projects that never get done. The 2023 budget is approved, and the city is spending $220.5 million more, total, than we did last year. The 2022 budget was $744.4 million not including the reserves; that means we are only $33 million away from a billion dollars spent annually. Do you see the improvements that affect your lives reflected in these budgets?

Oddly, in a recession, there were still two members of the council who wanted to tax you even more.

It was not surprising that the members up for reelection voted to keep the rolled-back millage rate.

People are hurting and can use a break. Politically motivated pet projects are not as important as spending dollars on new roads, maintenance vehicles and building repairs that are desperately needed, and giving the taxpayers’ money back to them when excess dollars come in like from the LCEC tax. What we need is a 6-month tax holiday on the PST to give Cape Coral residents back a little on their electric bill. I even recommended it at a council meeting and was ignored. They only want to spend more of your hard-earned money.

Change is needed.

We are still waiting for most of the 11 GO Bond parks to be completed from four years ago. They even removed the Yacht Club enhancements, our most popular park, from the fund because the council spent too much on the other parks. Most haven’t even been properly planned or started.

I could not believe how this council rolled over on the Waste Pro settlement. The city returned $1.7 million of money it withheld from Waste Pro for not picking up our trash during the pandemic. Now, they pocketed the remainder except for a $5.80 reduction in our yearly bill. Wait there is more…we are paying $7.24 more because we hired city employees to watch over them. In total, our solid waste bill is going up $28.23 this year for a new rate for the average homeowner of $248.95.

We are in a recession with inflation at a 40-year high and council can only tax and spend.

It is time for action Cape Coral.

Tom Shadrach

Cape Coral

(Editor’s note: Tom Shadrach is a candidate for mayor)