Candidate Response - Stan Raso
Candidate Information
District: 3
Name: Stan Raso
Occupation: Business owner for 25 yrs.
Website: http://www.stanrasoforcouncil.com
Email: sraso@embarqmail.com
Cell Phone: 239-834-9364
What is your vision for the City of Cape Coral?
My vision of Cape Coral would be to have a strong economy, which thrives on new and old business yet still has that feeling of a bedroom community. With a Regional Mall on Pine Island Rd and a downtown that will bring our city a competitive edge over Naples, Bonita, and Ft. Myers, so long as we do not over develop but create an ambience of retail shops, sidewalk cafés and restaurants where the aromas of foods hit you at every other corner, nightly entertainment with local galleries and the sound of jazz as you walk with family and friends that come down to visit. We have gained many new residents and we have lost many, do to high taxes and assessments and insurance rates. My vision of Cape Coral would be to control these factors at least property taxes, assessments and the budget to give the taxpayers a chance to breath. We need vision of common sense looking ahead of the curve.
What will the city look like after your first full term in office?
After my first term in office I would like to see less restrictive government on businesses and to be pro business friendly. More infrastructures to bring in white collar jobs and technology companies into the Zemal property area along Rt. 41. With the $40 million dollar expansion of Page Field Airport witch will include more commercial freight to its lineup, this would help with our infrastructure to promote business development growth. I would like to see lower taxes if possible and if not at least stabilize them for the next few years. When there is a real need to raise property taxes, make it coincide with a cost of living increase and not burden our citizens.
What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city?
One of the largest challenges facing the city is the inner working of the city management and city council. The way it handles the budget and the way they responds to the people and businesses trying to live and work here. Second, we are not getting our fair share of services and return for our tax dollars going over to Lee County.
What are your plans for addressing these challenges?
For one city council needs to take control of the budget process by setting goals of fiscal responsibility for city management. Trim the fat out of supervisory and management personal. To act independently without direction of a budget committee who has done very little for taxpayers in past and present. Let’s put together a group of volunteers with a council person to represent us with directives from city council and pressure Lee County to act responsible and credit us our fair share.
What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services, assessments, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses?
There will always be a need for services, assessments taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses. As a council member I will vote to keep a lean government and to cut cost when ever possible also direct the city manager and is staff to do the same. We also need to pace ourselves in spending and move along with the growth of our taxes base and economy and no overspending like drunken sailors just off the boat. The city manager and the city council need to work together and have a real business type approach along with common sense and always have a back up plan incase something goes wrong.
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 add economic diversity in our city’s future plan. With tax incentives to lure businesses to our area reduce red tape that prolongs the opening of a new business and I’m not talking about being less restrictive on public health and safety but if a person is selling nut and bolts it shouldn’t take 6 months to sell nuts and bolts. General appeal of our city should be a safe and friendly city that keeps a combination of residential and commercial economic growth that is for the good of all those who chose to live and work or retire here. We need to keep it afford able so blue collar workers, teachers, policemen and firemen can live here as well and we do not become another Naples.
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 would like to keep a website up for citizens who are engage on the internet. We will all have email and office phone lines or you can contact me by cell phone.
September 4th, 2007 at 11:30 am
“create an ambience of retail shops, sidewalk cafés and restaurants where the aromas of foods hit you at every other corner”
ambiance of retail shops? “aromas of foods hit you at every other corner” Why not at every corner???
We have gained many new residents and we have lost many, do to high taxes and assessments and insurance rates.
We have gained and lost “Do” to high taxes?
More infrastructures to bring in white collar jobs and technology companies into the Zemal property area along Rt. 41. With the $40 million dollar expansion of Page Field Airport witch will include more commercial freight to its lineup, this would help with our infrastructure to promote business development growth.
Does Stan know what “infrastructure” is? And is he on a “witch” hunt for commercial freight at Page Field to be flown in Piper Cub aircraft?
I’m sorry Stan, I think you’re a nice guy but reading your responses is “hurting my ears.”