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To the editor:
The proposed Cape Coral Transportation Mobility Fee is long overdue! For years we have heard that "growth pays for growth" by the city council. Finally, the council has admitted that growth, is indeed, NOT paying for growth.
For the past 15-plus years the Transportation Mobility Fee was untouched, all the while, growth was exploding in Cape Coral. This created stresses on all of the city related functions like police and fire protection, traffic, road wear and tear, and utilities. And as the population increased, the property owners that have lived in Cape Coral for years were bankrolling the growth and allowing the "newbies" a free pass into our great city.
While I welcome the Transportation Mobility Fee, I believe it does not go far enough. The city should also implement a large fee, or tariff, just to submit a permit for new construction. Why? We have been told by the city manager that Cape Coral is one of the "hottest" areas to move and to purchase a new home and to build a business. Why not capitalize on this? If you want to "play," you must "pay." Current property owners will not be affected by the fee, unless they are building a new home.
These fees will potentially do one of two things - (1) it will raise revenues to help finance the city's growth items as described above, or (2) it will slow the rate of growth in Cape Coral because no one wants to pay the fee. Either way, Cape Coral is a winner.
I do believe the fee amounts and classifications should be reviewed and revised. Lower the fees on projects such as hotels, health facilities, and private education facilities, and increase the fees for multi-family and convenience retail projects. This will help encourage the types or construction Cape Coral needs and discourage the type that seems to be undesired by the residents.
I urge the Cape Coral City Council to BE BRAVE (we've heard about "courage" before from one of these councilmembers regarding his AYE vote FOR the stipend, remember?) and approve the Transportation Mobility Fee at 100% starting at Year 1. The idea of "phasing" in the fee at 50% year 1, 60% year 2, etc., will only put the city further behind in the needed improvements. I understand that the council and mayor don't want "sticker shock," as they say. And I suppose if my income was dependent upon real estate development and new home construction, I would balk at any fee for new construction that they would pass onto their customer. (For example, the council has a custom homebuilder, a person that works for a custom homebuilder, a person that loans money for new construction - perhaps, these council members should abstain from this vote as their very businesses depend upon new construction and the fee could hurt their businesses?} The debate will be interesting, for sure.
This fee is long overdue and I welcome growth to begin again to be paying for growth.
Jay Higgins
Cape Coral