Mark my words, Florida Citrus is not going down on my watch. This heritage industry is not only vital to our state’s economy, but it is truly a part of the DNA of Florida. Citrus has been a pillar of our state since the 1500s, serving as a key economic driver within our vital agricultural ...
To the editor: In July 2024, attorneys for the property owner submitted a revised amendment request to Cape Coral’s Future Land Use Map (FLUM) for their proposed Redfish Pointe development among 350 acres of wetlands south of Rotary Park. The city staff have finished their analysis of the request and have published their recommendations. It bears out many concerns residents have long expressed and recommends denial of the proposed changes to the city’s future land use map. Among other things, staff says it does not meet the city’s requirement that the amendment “protects the ...
To the editor: I’m writing in response to the Cape Coral Breeze’s online publication of Councilmember Giraldo’s statement on March 21, 2025: Statement from Diana Giraldo, Ward 2 Councilmember, City of Fort Myers. I am deeply disturbed that the Fort Myers City Council continues to support a Florida law—namely, the 287(g) program—that has been proven ineffective in improving the detainment of immigrants who are in the country without legal status. The 287(g) program authorizes local law enforcement officers, in the course of routine policing, to question and arrest individuals ...
To the editor: Recent proposals to remove property taxes sounds like a good thing. No one wants to pay taxes, period. But money to run the government has to come from somewhere and without a scorecard to see how those funds would be generated the public is in the dark about how to respond to this legislation. Peeling the onion, property tax relief would be good for all property owners but more relief would go to those that pay larger property tax bills. That would be corporations that own homes, banks, nonresident owners, and owners of large homes. Also benefiting would be commercial ...
To the editor: When we decided to move to Southwest Florida five years ago to be closer to our grandkids, we were warned about Hurricanes and Gators (not the sports teams). Well, what we weren’t told was the real danger—Lee County roads! With an average of 123 deaths a year, there could be two Hurricane Ian’s (supposedly 50 deaths in Lee County), and it wouldn’t match the traffic carnage on our roads. Plus, if you figure in the 8,670 people hurt in accidents annually, it looks like over 1% of the population in Lee County are maimed or killed each year.* Wow —that beats ...
To the editor: In the Breeze opinion article, “Honor and Defend,” published last week, the Editorial Board seems to believe that our Due Process protections should apply to national security threats. The recent deportation of 300 Venezuelan nationals from the United States to El Salvador were removed under the Alien Enemies Act. This Act allows the President to unilaterally detain, remove, or restrict non-citizens originating from a hostile foreign nation during wartime or a national security crisis. The President has deemed our border crisis a national security threat. U.S. ...
