A budget committee… if only
To the editor:
I liked last week’s Breeze letter to the editor by Mr. Starnes about how much the Cape Coral city budget went up from 2023 to 2026, a 48% increase when the consumer price index only went up 9.29%. After verifying his numbers, I, too, would like an explanation from the mayor and the city council before the next election in November.
Mr. Starmer goes on to say “If only we had a civilian board of some kind to look over the shoulders of Council and staff throughout the budget process.” Cape Coral did have an independent budget committee up until about 2 years ago when the city council decided to dissolve the committee. What a coincidence!
As the famously fictional Detective Harry Bosch always says, “There are no coincidences.”
By the way, the chairman of that budget review committee was Tom Shadrach, who happens to be running for a seat on the city council this November. I think he would be a big asset to the city council and to the citizens of Cape Coral. Coincidence?
Ken Kendrick
Cape Coral