Candidate Response - Karie Rathbun
Candidate Information
District:
Name:
Occupation:
Website
Email:
Phone:
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 the City is to increase communication, decrease crime and decrease the spending. We need to use the City’s money efficiently so that we can continue to receive the services that we expect but keep our taxes and fees at a level we can afford. We need to utilize the things we have and evaluate to insure we are only spending on necessary things. We need YOUR input and ideas. We can work together to allow us to make our City a more desirable place to live and in turn that will help to stimulate growth. I believe with all your help this City can again be more like all our reasons we came here to live in the first place.
What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city? What are your plans for addressing these challenges? The largest challenge facing the City is the taxes including all fees. We need to reduce spending to give our residents the relief we need to get through these tough economic times.
What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services, assessments, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses? We need to be firm when making cuts to the budget. We also need to be more aggressive with Lee County to get our fair share of services from them or to get them to give us back credit for the service we provide that they do not.
What are your plans for improving the economic situation and general appeal of our city for current and future residents and businesses? We need to lower taxes to give relief so that we can get through tough economic times. We also need to encourage cleaning up the City including speeding up the actions to take care of abandoned property. We need to work closely with those who are already here as well as with new people coming to the City to address all the concerns they might have about the 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? I have a website that I maintain I also have email. I work from home or anywhere remotely so using technology is not a problem for me. Also I listed my home phone and cell phone in the beginning of this form. I am out meeting people all the time and have been so pleased to hear all the wonderful ideas they have that may help the City.
