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To the editor:
As a Cape Coral resident, I know firsthand why so many families choose to call this city home. We are growing, thriving, and building a community where opportunity feels within reach. That is why the city's proposal to replace our long-standing road impact fees with a new "mobility fee" is so troubling.
Under this plan, the cost of building a new home would climb from $3,347 to nearly $10,000 in just a few years. Commercial projects, like the shops and restaurants that make Cape Coral vibrant, would see fees jump by more than 60 percent. These increases will not come out of thin air, they will be passed directly to families in the form of higher mortgages, higher rents, and higher prices.
Our city leaders argue that this new fee is needed to fund roads and infrastructure. No one disagrees that we need to keep up with growth. But raising fees this drastically will do the opposite of what Cape Coral needs. Families will be priced out of buying homes, small businesses will think twice before expanding here, and projects that create jobs will shift to other communities.
Even the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce has said the proposal is inequitable and harmful to affordability. They urged the city to take a more reasonable approach, capping increases at a level that keeps Cape Coral competitive without burdening residents.
This is not just a policy debate. It is about the future of our community. If we want Cape Coral to remain a place where families can afford to live and businesses want to invest, we must speak up. I urge residents to contact City Council, attend meetings, and make your voices heard. Together, we can ensure Cape Coral grows responsibly, without putting the dream of homeownership and opportunity out of reach.
Lisa Swinto
Regional Director,
Associated Builders & Contractors
Cape Coral resident