Spending numbers don’t add up
To editor:
As Cape Coral voters prepare to choose new council members this fall, it is worth examining how the current city council and staff have managed our tax dollars.
• In 2023 the population of Cape Coral was 201,000. In 2026 it is 220,000 or a 9.4% increase.
• In 2023 the Consumer Price Index was 304.70. In 2026 it sits at 333.02 or a 9.29% increase.
• The city budget adopted for 2023 was $967,000,000. For 2026 it is $1,435,000,000 or a 48% increase.
I would like someone on city council or city staff to explain to me and other taxpayers how the budget can increase more than five times as much as population and the Consumer Price Index. It would also be helpful for council candidates to tell voters what they would do to bring spending under control.
If only we had a civilian board of some kind to look over the shoulders of Council and staff throughout the budget process.
George Starnes
Cape Coral