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FY 2027 Set Millage and Public Hearing Dates
Presentation – Res. 174-26 FY27 Stormwater Assessment – Initial
Presentation – Res. 175-26 FY27 Solid Waste Assessment – Initial
Presentation – Res. 176-26 FY27 Fire Protection Assessment – Initial
Presentation – Res. 177-26 FY27 Lot Mowing Assessment – Initial
Cape Coral City Council will set the city's not-to-exceed property tax rate Wednesday.
Resolution 194-26 would set "... a proposed millage rate of 5.1988 mills for general operating purposes, a rolled-back millage rate of 5.1988 mills, and a proposed millage rate of 0.1554 mills for the parks voted debt service."
One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable assessed valuation on a property. As per state Truth in Millage Rate, or TRIM, requirements, once the not-to-exceed rate is set, a governing body can lower the rate, but cannot increase it for the upcoming fiscal year.
The city manager's proposed budget was developed using rate of 5.1988 mills for the city, operating, or general, fund and 0.1554 for the general obligation bond for parks debt service.
The council set the not-to-exceed rate at 5.1988 mills at its meeting last week.
The first public hearing is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10.
At Wednesday's meeting, council will consider other fee and tax-related resolutions as well un-budgeted departmental program requests.
Resolution 174-26 would set the city's the stormwater fee, increasing it from $156 per equivalent residential unit to $163.
As proposed, Fiscal Year 2027 program highlights include environmental and water quality improvements at $1.8 million; flood prevention at $500,000; drainage improvements at $1.7 million would add one heavy equipment operator, one service work III and swale crew. Additional capital projects include weir improvements for $3.3 million, Trafalgar Drainage Improvements for $7.728 million, 83 Catch Basin Replacement for $2.625 million and Rotary Dog Park Stormwater System Retrofit for $1 million.
The Residential Solid Waste Assessment, Resolution 175-26, remains the same at $384.25 per total dwelling unit. The collection services - Waste Pro had a $4.80 increase, disposal fees for Lee County had a $6.80 increase, Cape Coral operating and personnel costs had a $11.57 decrease, the tax collector cost had a three-cent decrease, and the statutory discount recovery remained the same.
The city's Fire Protection Assessment, Resolution 176-26, calls for a 81% recovery rate for the cost of Cape Coral Fire Department operations, or $515.43 for an average single-family home.
The lot mowing assessment, Resolution 177-26, has an increase for FY '27 per equivalent lot unit- 5,000 square feet. For district one there is a $5.41 increase to $75.89, $4.94 increase to $52.99 for district two, $5.51 increase for district 3 to $56.95 and a $3.80 increase for district 4 to $48.43 for annual assessments.
The last assessment on the agenda is for Resolution 178-26, deferred assessments, hardship deferrals and delinquent loans, for delinquent water, wastewater, irrigation, and fire service non-ad valorem special assessments.
There is one property that is enrolled in the legacy deferred assessment program that is still due.
There are 11 properties that have remaining outstanding deferred hardships - eight properties where the owner is no longer enrolled in the hardship program and three properties where the ownership has changed hands and amounts not paid in full when closing. The total delinquent hardship assessment is $46,658.36.
The meeting will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, at City Council Chambers, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd. The meeting is open to the public.