Cape Coral leaders express concern over property tax proposals

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

Cape Coral leaders are concerned about proposed state legislation that could reduce or eliminate property taxes, potentially affecting funding for essential services like first responders.

Jennifer Nelson-Lastra, District 4 Councilmember, highlighted the city's reliance on ad valorem taxes, noting, "Our city is 90% is ad valorem tax base currently and out of that 90% — 54% are homesteaded." She explained that full-time residents pay less in property taxes, and the state now aims to further reduce or eliminate this tax. "The money is going to have to come from somewhere to be able to fund those services," Nelson-Lastra said, suggesting alternatives like fees or assessments.

Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore emphasized the growing demand for public services, stating, "The calls for service are going up, the demands are going up and the Cape is still growing." He noted the need for additional personnel, saying, "Just in uniformed personnel, I'm looking at 25 new positions just to keep us on pace," as the city's population is projected to reach 260,000 by 2030.

District 3 Councilmember Dr. Derrick Darnell underscored the importance of public safety, saying, "Public safety is at the top. We're one of the safest in Florida." He and other officials are exploring ways to maintain funding, acknowledging, "It's a balancing act. We have to communicate with how fast it is happening."

The city of Cape Coral, like many others, is waiting to see what the legislature decides regarding property taxes, and the situation will be closely followed throughout the legislative session.

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