City Council Approves 2024 Budget, Maintains Millage Rate
Cape Coral City Council voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget at the final budget hearing on Thursday, September 21.
The budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which is slightly over $1 billion, outlines a strategic plan to support the community while enhancing the City's services without an increase to the existing property tax rate of 5.3694 mills.PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION:
- The City has added eight (8) police officers and eleven (11) firefighters, plus support staff. The additional positions will help improve response times and staff and operate the new police and fire training facilities.
- The City is continuing its annual paving program by allocating $7.4 million for road resurfacing. We have set aside over $3 million to install traffic lights for intersection improvements at four locations.
STORMWATER AND UTILITIES:
- The Stormwater Fund added a pipe crew, swale crew, and sod crew to help reduce the 18-month backlog for drainage improvements and maintenance of our extensive network of stormwater pipes. Their work will help alleviate localized street flooding.
- The Water and Sewer Fund added 12 positions to help address the growing number of customers from the utilities extension projects. The additional 12 positions include customer service staff and field technicians.
- Our water and sewer extension plan will continue with the upcoming construction of North 1 East and the design of North 3. When added to North 1 West, the construction will bring water, sewer, and irrigation services to an additional 12,147 parcels in the City.
PARKS AND BEAUTIFICATION:
- The City continues to address deferred maintenance via Operation Sparkle, which focuses on updating existing parks. We also are establishing an annual plan to replace our playgrounds with three slated for replacement this year: Jim Jeffers Park, Joe Stonis Park, and the Youth Center.
- Funding was dedicated toward beautification projects throughout the City, including replacing trees and shrubs lost during Hurricane Ian. Our federal and state governments do not provide funding reimbursement for lost vegetation.