Candidate Response – Richard Kast
Candidate Information:
District: District #2
Name:Richard Kast
Occupation: Commercial Real Estate
Website: www.richardkast.com
Email: rfkcalif@yahoo.com
Phone: 239-565-4594
What is your vision for the City of Cape Coral? What will the city look like after your first full term in office?
My vision for Cape Coral is developing the “downtown” CRA. There is so much potential here in the Cape. I would also like to see small to medium size industries come to the Cape. We need higher wages, places of employment in the Cape for our residents, the average age is 41 and these people need to have a decent lifestyle in their own city. Bringing the industry here will also help offset the property taxes by balancing the tax rolls.
In one year, I hope to have a mindset that management will work more closely with people who want to build and open their businesses. I hope to accomplish that the City Council will lead versus be led and the new City Council will do their research before only accepting the city’s comments.
What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city? What are your plans for addressing these challenges?
At the present, we have a SW 5 project in motion and the other projects will be coming up soon. We need to start today to address the pricing of these other projects and I want to see more bidding for products not just the sub contractor. If there is a better way with less cost and be able to tye into the current system, then I want to explore that option. I will not accept the City’s staff without my own research or research presented other bidders.
Regarding the CRA, we have several projects in permitting and that has to move forward faster than the Villago had to go through. It took 2 1/2 years to get permitting and that is unacceptable.
What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services, assessments, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses?
There are several factors that can be used to control the cost of government, but I would like address the previous situation that was supposed to be controlling these costs. Laying off the stated 38 people from the planning and building department. Only 2 of the 38 were actually laid off. The remaining employees were spread through the various departments within the City. If one uses the average income of $45,000×38=$1,710,000, +38% benefits = $649,800, + 7.65% social security and medicare = $130,815, + workman compensation ($5,640,623/1505 full time employees = $3,747.85 per ee x 38 = $142,418.52 The total savings would be: $2,633,033.52.
Taxes need to be offset by the (new commercial businesses that should be on the tax rolls for 2007, but shown in 2008.
Regarding fees, I need to be on the inside to obtain the overall fees not what the budget shows. The budget only commingles the overall franchise fees.
What are your plans for improving the economic situation and general appeal of our city for current and future residents and businesses?
Again, I am a big proponent to bringing industry to the Cape. I building the CRA will also bring more sales dollars and give a better appeal to the people visiting, but to the people of Cape Coral.
The City needs to fix the lights and sprinkler system in the medium on Cape Coral Parkway, better trees that need less maintenance and allows a better eye appeal. The citizens of Cape Coral spent a lot of tax dollars to upgrade the medium of Cape Coral Parkway, but the city has allowed the lights and sprinklers lines to stay broken. The City needs to clean their property and set an example. The alleys are full of weeds and gravel type with holes at least a foot deep. The is uncalled for for a City of 160,000 plus.
I also feel the City Manager or Mayor needs to talk to the County to reimburse the City of Cape Coral up to 75% of any lawn mowing that they collect. The City Council could approve a weed abatement program, mow the yards and put the fee on the person’s or entities property tax. With the 75% rebating back to the City, the lawns could be cleaned up and the City would reimbursed to clean up this City.
What are your plans for using new communication and business tools provided over the Internet for residents and businesses to contact you, or for you to share your ongoing work with residents?
If elected, I was elected to serve the all residents of Cape Coral and the information should be public property. We are elected to be good stewards of the people’s taxes and property and there should not be any secrets. The only place I could see where there might be some form of confidentially would be the purchasing of property where someone might try to hold the project or the City up by flipping or abusing the knowledge for personal gain.
August 30th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
“Cape for our residents, the average age is 41 and these people need to have a decent lifestyle in their own city.”
According to the FY-2007-2008 proposed budget page 380 Community profile, the median age is 45.2 based on the 2005 census
“Regarding the CRA, we have several projects in permitting and that has to move forward faster than the Villago had to go through. It took 2 1/2 years to get permitting and that is unacceptable.”
Since this is in the CRA when will the general fund see the tax benefit of Cape Villago?
“Regarding fees, I need to be on the inside to obtain the overall fees not what the budget shows. The budget only commingles the overall franchise fees.”
All revenues from fees such as impact fees are identified by sources. Same thing with Enterprise funds…..am I missing something here?
“I also feel the City Manager or Mayor needs to talk to the County to reimburse the City of Cape Coral up to 75% of any lawn mowing that they collect. The City Council could approve a weed abatement program, mow the yards and put the fee on the person’s or entities property tax. With the 75% rebating back to the City, the lawns could be cleaned up and the City would reimbursed to clean up this City.”
The only property the county mows in Cape Coral is on county roads!
“The only place I could see where there might be some form of confidentially would be the purchasing of property where someone might try to hold the project or the City up by flipping or abusing the knowledge for personal gain.” ?????