Cape Informer

Candidate Information
District: 3
Name: Bruce Gonce
Occupation:
Website: www.gowithgonce.org
Email: bagonce@earthlink.net

What is your vision for the City of Cape Coral?

Cape Coral is no longer the sleepy little bedroom community developers once planned. I see a diverse community where we can “have our cake and eat it to”. Where people want to live because costs are low, jobs are available, recreation facilities are appealing and a sense of community prevails.

What will the city look like after your first full term in office?

Citizens will have a feeling of securing and prosperity due to stable employment and a lower cost of living. Homes, office buildings and retail stores will be occupied rather than vacant with overgrown yards.

What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city?

Reducing taxes, cutting runaway city costs, enhancing economic development, reducing the cost of the utility expansion, re-connecting with the public and reducing the negative and costly impact on citizens for the disconnected operations of the City Government.

What are your plans for addressing these challenges?

The Cape Coral City Council needs to adopt a business philosophy at the core of its operations. In general, a business style approach with my valuation expertise and experience is what I am offering taxpayers. The disconnected relationship between the City Council, City Manager and Staff needs to change. Our City Manager form of government and present situation with the City Manager, shows how employment contracts without escape clauses can create a strangle hold on effective and efficient operations. Is the tail wagging the dog? In addition, one must have a “line by line” approach when cutting the budget. The outsourcing of various studies and consulting firms must be held to a minimum. Impact fees must be cut and the permitting process streamlined in order to attract businesses and create a diversified economic base. To lower the costs of the utility expansion significantly, the City’s Public Works Department needs to develop the capability of installing and maintaining utility expansion projects on its own.

What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services, assessments, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses?

I will support spending limits or “caps” on the budget and/or mil levy. To re-emphasize, controlling the cost of services by cutting the budget and eliminating waste. Waste is two assistant city managers. Does anyone really know how the impact fee is established and allocated? Accountability is not coming from the City. Some future projects should not be funded at this time and the impact fee MUST be lowered. Should “growth pay for growth”? Not at these costs. It is essential the City get its financial house in order.

What are your plans for improving the economic situation and general appeal of our city for current and future residents and businesses?

To create a climate of cooperation between the city, residences and businesses we need to lower taxes, cut fees and permitting costs. The City Government needs to adopt a spirit of cooperation rather than being a hindrance. Reducing Cape Coral’s “red tape” will also help businesses open more quickly. This will help broaden the tax base and provide employment. My plan is to cut spending, lower taxes and fees, and reduce the “red tape” of government.

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 advocate changing formal council meetings to Wednesdays at 7:00 PM so working citizens can attend. City Council work sessions should be open to citizens and the media. My phone number is in the phone book and has been for eighteen years and I don’t plan on changing it when I am elected. My web site, www.gowithgonce.org, will remain active. This is a place where citizen input will be welcome and I can post up-dates. I will personally hold periodic Town Hall meetings. This will be especially necessary in order to disseminate information where larger issues are concerned. I already have a history of communicating in this manner when I was a councilman in another community.

The citizens of Cape Coral must understand I will represent only one seat on the council. You have an opportunity to select five councilmen. This will be a majority and only with a majority can these goals be accomplished. If you agree with my philosophy and overall approach, please cast your vote accordingly. But, it is also important to vote for those candidates with a similar philosophy and approach in order to affect change. The people of Cape Coral should never again have their livelihoods or homes put in jeopardy because of the irresponsible decisions made by a few.

Candidate Information
District:       District 7
Name:          Chris Berardi
Occupation: Realtor
Website     http://BerardiForCouncil.com
Email:      Chris@BerardiForCouncil.com
Phone:      239-560-0183 

What is your vision for the City of Cape Coral? What will the city look like after your first full term in office?

As the largest city between Miami and Tampa, Cape Coral must become the regional leader for commerce, transportation and recreation.  We must think like a major metropolitan city, while maintaining the quality of life that has made Cape Coral “Paradise.” My vision is that Cape Coral will be a vibrant city that provides its residents with abundant, high paying job opportunities by day and shopping, dining and entertainment options in the evening.

What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city? What are your plans for addressing these challenges?

The Three most important issues we must address are to Increase Economic Development, Control the Cost of our Government and Beautify our City.

Beautifying our city will require median and main thoroughfare landscaping, done at little cost to the taxpayers by utilizing public/private partnerships. We must also increase code enforcement. This should be cost neutral, as violations should pay for the services provided.

What are your plans for improving the economic situation and general appeal of our city for current and future residents and businesses?

Economic development encompasses several aspects. If our local real estate and construction slowdown has taught us anything, it is that a diverse economy is vital to a healthy city. The Community Redevelopment Area, Zemel annexation properties, commercial activity centers, and Pine Island Road corridor must be developed in a way that meets the needs of our city as we grow. These projects must increase our commercial tax base from its current 8% to offset our residential tax burden and to provide the services a growing city requires. A blend of medical, education, clean industry, and small business development should be pursued. This development must blend with its residential neighbors.

Regarding the general appeal of our city, our exceptional police and fire service must continue to be supported. Development of Festival Park is an important aspect of the northern portion of our city. Median landscaping and tree canopy programs must be developed. Code enforcement efforts must be increased. Many of these issues will require the help of our residents and the partnership of our business community.

What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services, assessments, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses?

Controlling the Cost of Government must start with passage of the Ordinance I sponsored this year related to spending controls and surplus funds. In addition, we must cross-train our city employees, allow some employees to work from home, take advantage of new technology, involve the private sector to offset expenses, and examine our fleet/vehicle policies. We must also negotiate with our Lee County Commissioners for a greater share of the taxes our residents pay to the county.

Assessments and Fees are just another way of saying “taxes”, and I do not support increases. I believe that finding efficiencies of operation and cutting unnecessary spending are much better ways to find the dollars needed to support the critical operations of our 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?

Currently, I utilize a “Blackberry” so that I have the ability to receive and respond to emails or phone calls instantly. I believe that blogging and podcasts will also provide outlets for communicating with our residents. Finally, although not “new technology”, I will continue to speak at any club, homeowners association, or event to which I am invited.

Candidate Information:
District: 3
Name: Lynn Rosko
Occupation: Citizen Advocate/ Homemaker
Website: www.lynnrosko4council.com
Email:lynnroskoforcouncil@comcast.net
Phone: 540-3282

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 that of a beautiful quality suburban City. It is more important that we have quality residential development rather than just a large volume or quantity of low value residential development. If we add housing below our mean average we will pay higher taxes. We are a pre-platted community and do not have an airport, deep harbor, rail line or a major highway or interstate. We will not be able to have an urban tax base of 25 to 30 percent commercial and light industrial and therefore will be heavily reliant on our residential tax base.

We have, however, amenities with our 400 miles of canals and waterfront property that are second to none. We therefore can have growth of good residential property values that will not burden existing residents.

What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city? What are your plans for addressing these challenges?

The largest challenge is providing the necessary infrastructure for our City’s future growth and development at a reasonable cost basis. Our municipal utility system, roads and public service buildings and facilities can and must be obtained at a reasonable cost. Long range planning is essential. The present high cost management at risk contracting must end.

What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services, assessments, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses?

Cape Coral has many highly qualified professional and business people. I will seek input from them and not from committees of acquaintances and political friends. We must also amend our Charter to control the rate of public spending for general government operations. Today in budgeting we understate our anticipated revenues and overstate our expenses to ensure that there will be adequate monies to support out budget. There is nothing wrong with that approach. What is wrong is what we do with the surplus money it provides. Instead of it being held and applied to the following year’s budget to reduce taxes, it is being spent. Former Mayor Kempe proposed a Charter Amendment to require that it be held and applied to the following year’s budget except for an emergency appropriation and would generally save six percent of our general fund budget of $160 million or almost $10 million annually. His other Charter proposal was to require a 2/3 vote of the City Council to increase the general fund budget at a rate that exceeds the combined rate of growth and inflation. Both of these proposed amendments were kept away from the voters by a 4 to 4 vote of the City Council. I would be supportive of those measures going to the voters for their Vote.

What are your plans for improving the economic situation and general appeal of our city for current and future residents and businesses?

The annexation of approximately 3 square miles of the Zemel and other properties along our northern boundary will provide for Commercial and light industrial development which will help our property tax base and provided jobs.

We must also use strict code enforcement to keep our City attractive. Controlling City spending is essential not only for our residents but for attraction of prospective business.

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?

Increased public input by communication with the City Council and the City Administration is both beneficial and desirable. I want to see the maximum use of all technology between City government itself and with its citizens.

Candidate Information
District:                                   District 3
Name:                                     Karie Rathbun
Occupation:                             MIS Manager
Website                                   karieforcouncil.com
Email:                                      karie@karieforcouncil.com
Phone:                                     239-772-1795                                               239-839-5370          cell phone best # to reach me

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.

Candidate Information

District: District 3
Name: Michael D. Orchin
Occupation: Self-employed painting contractor (small business)
Website: None
Email: morchin@comcast.net
Phone: 239-574-6318

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 of Cape Coral is one where the government and the people are able to function as partners. At this point, the city is run in a secretive manner led by a City Manager who is looking for work elsewhere who somehow manages to obtain and transmit faulty, erroneous or incomplete information to Council. Council then takes this misinformation and continuously fumbles the ball. It is not what the city will look like if my visions come to fruition, it will be more of how it feels. Sidewalks, trees and attractive medians may make the city look better, but it doesn’t make it feel like home. When all citizens feel they are a part of a government that represents their values and fulfills their needs, then and only then will Cape Coral feel like home.

What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city? What are your plans for addressing these challenges?

I see two main challenges facing the city. The first is slowing down the fiscal money train that is and has been out of control for many years (I will discuss this further in the next paragraph). The second is returning the citizens’ trust (if it ever was there to begin with) in their city government from top to bottom. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. For the 15 years I have been here, we have been electing the same candidates over and over with the same results (that proves the definition is correct). Everything needs to be done in the sunshine with complete freedom of information to the people and the press, preferably online as well as going to City Hall to demand it. Too often important legislation is voted on with little public debate, either on Council or between Council and the citizens. If elected, I will hold at least one “New England style” town hall meeting where the public can debate/discuss the issues at hand while the politicians listen and learn (something they seem to be unable to do in local government).

What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services, assessments, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses?

I would propose an immediate audit of all departments to get rid of wasted motion, redundant duties and unneeded positions. I would start this at the top by doing my best to rid ourselves of at least one, if not both, assistant city managers. I would propose zero based budgeting become our standard when working on our fiscal priorities. I would put all taxes (which include fees and assessments of any kind) under a microscope to see how they can be modified. Currently, the way the utility expansion program has been bid out and mismanaged (manager at risk) is one of the biggest travesties to be foisted onto the citizens of Cape Coral in the history of our city.

What are your plans for improving the economic situation and general appeal of our city for current and future residents and businesses?

There are some exciting things on the horizon for downtown Cape Coral if we can get CRA to quit stumbling around in the dark. Having a real downtown would be of tremendous value for our curb appeal. The Department of Code Enforcement needs to be beefed up and turned into a profit making entity rather than an ineffective money pit. The fines for violating city codes of importance need to be increased so that they just don’t fall into the cost of doing business for those who ignore them. If our city doesn’t look attractive and friendly from the curb, few people in businesses are going to be encouraged to move in. We should be advertising and promoting ourselves up North because now with property values being what they are, this is a great time to locate here. I would not object to economic incentives to businesses as long as it did not include endless tax deferment.

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?

When elected, the city provides all Council members with email and, of course, we would have access to all Cape Coral websites. I would, of course, establish my own website so that people can contact me privately if they wish to make comments or suggestions that they don’t want in the public domain.

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.

District: 1 Number 1
Name: Phil BOLLER
Occupation:Retired Licensed Professional Engineer
Website: Boller4change.com
Email: Boller1970@aol.com
Phone: 239-541-7423

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 for it to become the most safe and affordable community to live in Southwest Florida.

It will look much the same since my term in District 1 is limited to 1 year. (it’s the fufilment of a vacant a position on Council). However, I hope I can get some of the City cleaned up from existing property trash and to have the appearance of the median to the Yacht Club enhanced with some beautification.

What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city? What are your plans for addressing these challenges?

The largest challenges facing the City are: Taxes, Utility Expansion & Public Safety Facility

Taxes - Reduce spending which should help in the reduction of taxes.

UEP — Stop the expansion of Utilities till after the Water and Sewer Master Plan is revisited and updated. Stop the construction of sewers only in SW 5 until the Master Plan is revisited and updated.

PSB– This needed facility must be down sized with its cost being support by collected Fire and Police impact fees.

What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services, assessments, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses?

Direct the City Manager to prepare and bring forth a 15 to 20 % down sizing plan for government services, taxes, and fees. A reduction in taxes will naturally have to follow for all.

What are your plans for improving the economic situation and general appeal of our city for current and future residents and businesses?

Those items mentioned above will provided some relief to the Community in this area and will encourage businesses to enter our City. I would support long term tax benefits to a business, but it would have to be tied directly to its number of employees or be lost.

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 will provide open and continuous communications for both residents and businesses through an e-mail address.

Candidate Information:
District: 7
Name: MICKEY ROSADO
Occupation: ENTREPRENEUR
Website: WWW.MICKEYROSADO.COM
Email: VOTEROSADO@YAHOO.COM
Phone: (239) 458-2074

What is your vision for the City of Cape Coral?/ What will the city look like after your first full term in office?

Developing an inclusive community with a diverse portfolio of commercial & industrial tax base, city management of the UEP, success of the academic village, and consolidation of government services such as DCD/economic development. /

Reflecting on my first term right now, accountability, strategic plan, smart growth, successful community action centers, charter schools, and Zemel lands forecasted as light industrial & commercial with excellent paying jobs. academic village, removals of the eco park, Chiquita boat lifts. reduction of taxes.

What do you see as the largest challenges facing the city? / What are your plans for addressing these challenges?

diversifying our tax base / propose more incentives / public private partnerships

regionalizing our issues / personal participation in Tallahassee

maintaining lower uep cost / propose city administration role

infrastructure needs / g.o. bonds proposal development

What are your plans for controlling the costs of government services/ assessments/, taxes and fees to our citizens and businesses?

government consolidation /

city management/

diversifying our tax base is crucial to our success in keeping taxes low for our citizens and businesses.

What are your plans for improving the economic situation and general appeal of our city for current and future residents and businesses?

Resolve the law suit with lee county concerning the Zemel property, expedite this annexation with the MUP regulation already in place, we can measure our impact on our heavy reliant property tax burden.

Implement a government consolidation plan that will save millions for decades.

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 developed a plan call taking leadership to America’s doorsteps that was heavily criticized by my colleagues in council, I strongly support this mechanism of communication.

As presented to all of the Candidates for City Council:

I will post each candidate’s response to the blog as it is received.

Oasis Elementary School provided space for over 60 residents to come out and hear from all of the District two and three candidates. Jim Sweigert introduced the candidates and laid down the ground rules. He welcomed Mayor Feichthaler as a special guest and then promptly put him on the spot to describe the boundaries of the different districts. Mayor F accommodated the request.

Councilmember Chris Berardi was also in attendance. The only media coverage there was provided by the Breeze and Cape Informer.

Each candidate was given a two minute introduction. Six questions were asked and each of the candidates received one minute to answer. Each candidate was also given a two minute closing remark.

When asked about the three largest expenditures made that the candidate disagreed with, most of the candidates stated that the SW5 UEP expansion topped the list. Peter Brandt included the previous two UEP expansion areas on his list. Richard Kast recommended eliminating the supplemental budgets and potentially downsizing the number of employees. Lynn Rosko proclaimed that she would send the entire budget back to the City Manager, asking for an 8% cut. Karie Rathbun was met with applause when she stated that the City Manager and City Attorney should not have received raises.

The candidates were asked about their take on the second Chiquita lock. For the most part, the candidates were short on answers here. Walter Fluegel called the removal of the original lock a pipe dream. He said that the DEP would not approve removal. Pete Brandt stated that it was a safety issue. He expressed hope that pressure on the State would result in funding, but he also warned that assessments were a possibility.

Universally, all candidates agreed that proactive code enforcement was an important issue. Bill Deille suggested that the unkempt lawns will negatively affect other’s property values. It was also a consensus that new businesses evaluating the area would be potentially turned away by the poor upkeep of vacant properties.

An immigration reform question elicited a reaction from the crowd and the candidates as well. All candidates support border security, and enforcing current laws. Lynn Rosko, David Drake and Pete Brandt all expressed disappointment in the City Council’s vote that repealed 76-06. Bill Deille called the idea of sanctuary cities “Left wing politics”. He also recommended that our City Police officers receive the ICE training that is available.

In the end, we’re still left with mostly sound bite answers from candidates. Very little can be learned about any one candidate in this format, due to the sheer number of candidates and the wide variety of issues facing us. I recommend that everyone attend at least one of these events. The candidates all expressed willingness to stay and speak individually with people after the debate. Take advantage of this to help you determine the candidates that will best fill  these 5 seats.