Lee County Clerk's Office launches new site to track tax spending

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

Lee County residents can now track how their tax dollars are being spent through a new online dashboard launched by the clerk's office.

Kevin Karnes, the Lee County Clerk of Court and Comptroller, said, "I think there's all the rage about property taxes. This website will allow you to determine how much the county is collecting in taxes and potentially see where those dollars are being spent as well. The website is real-time, it's interactive."

The dashboard allows users to view budget and spending details for each department, including parks and recreation, the sheriff's office, and transportation.

Residents like Tara Boccia from Cape Coral appreciate the transparency, especially in tracking large projects that cost millions of dollars and seeing how much county leaders earn.

Boccia said, "It's good if they do actually break it down, it would be good to see what we're spending the money on."

She added, "They're going to do the Cape Coral Bridge soon, and it's going to be a lot of traffic, and it's going to be more of our money."

The clerk's office encourages residents to reach out if they have questions about the site. On Feb. 26, they will host an online class to help users navigate the new tool.

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