Mayor’s Message & fiscal reality
To the editor:
The Breeze editorial published on April 3, 2026, criticized the mayor for being “disingenuous at best,” claiming credit for using the millage rolled back rate to reduce property tax dollars by $2.2 million. The mayor appears to be intentionally misleading the public regarding fiscal realities. Despite the reduction, he failed to acknowledge that the city still collected an additional $9.7 million (a 7% increase) in property tax dollars. Moreover, the city council approved a significant increase in the Fire Service Assessment (FSA), raising it by $13.7 million, a 27% hike. Residents also faced increases in other areas as outlined in the adopted fiscal year 2026 budget:
Public Service Tax: $2.3 million (17% increase)
Trash Collection: $4.8 million (16% increase)
Storm Water: $1.3 million (5% increase)
Water & Sewer: $19.7 million (16% increase)
The cumulative effect of these tax and assessment increases amounts to $51.5 million, or a 13% rise in resident contributions. This substantial increase stands in contrast to the current inflation rate, which is down to 2.9%. So,
I will ask the question, why?! Such a discrepancy raises numerous questions about the necessity for city tax revenue to increase by 13% when inflation has been significantly lower.
In 2022, during my mayoral campaign, I advocated for the millage rolled back rate and successfully secured council approval. My campaign became the people’s voice for common-sense spending. Since then, I have consistently lobbied for its continued use, though unsuccessful in years when I and other council members were not running for office. Funny how we can reduce taxes and cut waste in election years but not when your job is on the line. It is notable that adopting the rolled back rate in 2022 resulted in cumulative property tax revenue savings totaling $70.2 million. A stat that I champion as a win for taxpayers, and the current city management bemoans as a burden to their pet projects.
Tom Shadrach
Cape Coral
(Editor’s note: Mr. Tom Shadrach is an announced candidate for City Council District 1)