Originally Posted by Connie PIO
First, let me introduce myself. I am the Public Information Director for the City of Cape Coral. Obviously, I would take issue with the "corruption" comment about City government. It simply is not true.
I also would advise one to read the information on the News-Press and its forum with a healthy dose of skepticism. The paper has proven time and time again that it is incapable of printing fair and balanced articles. Their goal is to "inflame" rather than "inform."
As for the information posted, I believe I can clarify. It is expensive to live in Cape Coral. Our market values have increased by unprecedented amounts the past 4 years. However, Cape Coral is not unique. All of Florida is experiencing the boom. All of Florida also is experiencing the sticker shock of two consecutive active hurricane seasons. Homeowners insurance has gone up considerably, although the $12K amount Bill T mentioned probably was referring to the deductible and not the actual premium.
Another byproduct of the hurricane seasons, and the damage inflicted, is that the cost of building materials has soared. This partially explains why costs have increased for utilities extension. The cost for building materials in Florida is "insane," as one national building publication described.
The current amount for water, sewer and irrigation lines is about $18K for a typical, two-lot site (the typical single-family building site in Cape Coral...you cannot build on one lot). The price initially was about $22K, but the City and construction manager created some savings due to redesigning the project and changing the methodology for calculating the amount that large parcels pay. There also was savings from using lesser-quality materials on some parts.
You have several options for paying these assessments. There are three assessments -- water, sewer and irrigation. You can pay one or all of them upfront. You can finance one or all of them for a 20-year period. The annual amount for debt service on this option is added to your property tax bill and collected each year. You do not have the choice of not paying any part of your property tax bill, or the County issues a tax certificate on your property. The third method is to defer one, two or all of the assessments for 20 years. You can pay whatever amount you can afford each year toward the debt, and the entire amount has to be paid should you sell the property at any time. The drawback is if you choose not to pay anything because the the deferred amount does accumulate interest. This can balloon into a large amount over time if nothing is paid toward the debt.
There is a big misconception out there that people are being forced out of their homes; however, we have no reports of anyone being "forced" out. Some people may choose to move to avoid the assessments, but that is a choice. There is no reason why anyone should lose their homes, especially with the deferrment option.
The areas that still do not have utilities are in some parts of the southwest Cape and all of the north Cape. The expansion project is scheduled to continue through 2017. We always encourage potential buyers to purchase or build in areas currently served by City utilities. It just makes more sense. But if the north Cape has more attraction for you, then please prepare for the costs associated with utilities extension.
As for the Nile monitor lizards, we do have some in Cape Coral. They were an "introduced" species, and the City is working with the State to try to eradicate the animal.
The beach at the Yacht Club is a nice, little beach. However, it is a beach that abuts the river, so the you are not getting the blue-green saltwaters of a Gulf beach. The water is brackish, but not like the beaches at Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel. Plus, there are several beaches in Bonita Springs and Naples about an hour away. If you want to have some fun, plan a weekend each month to travel to some of the many beaches up and down the west coast of the state. Lots of nice ones.
The crime rate has NOT skyrocketed. Cape Coral has the 3rd lowest crime rate in the state of Florida for cities with populations over 100,000. We are adding police officers and continue to work on policing methods that help protect the citizens.
To correct a number NYBill put out there, Cape Coral is about 116 square miles, not 163 miles.
Just like any city, Cape Coral has ordinances. Some people dislike some of them (like the boat trailer parking) and other people love them. They are not out of line with other communities.
That wraps it up for me. Let me know if you have other questions.
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06-06-2008, 01:00 PM
cape govt. corruption
Don't move to Cape Coral ,fl.
Cape Coral is Great
this is like a minor league set up
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