John King may not be running for re-election this year, however, he’s not leaving Town Hall quietly. After our newsletter went out Friday, King went after the 5 candidates running for Town Council, specifically about their public statements about raising taxes.
King started out by saying he was the lone vote on setting the not-to-exceed millage rate at $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed property value. If approved at the final budget workshop that would amount to a 30% increase. There’s no way King is voting for that increase and that much of an increase does needed a unamimous vote to pass. King then referenced our story with the candidates and added his own commentary after each quote….
King: Anita Cereceda told BTR, “No. I would not have voted in favor of raising the maximum proposed ad valorem rate to 1.34.”.
King: Interesting because in the BTR Candidate Forum on June 24th, she said —“I wanted the Town Council to raise the Millage Rate right after the Hurricane…I’m not opposed to a Millage Rate increase.”.
King: That’s obvious as she has a previous track record of voting for an increase. Back in September 2019, during the Town Council Budget Process, Anita voted to increase the Millage Rate to .95. stating, “Since I was first re-elected in 2014, I’ve talked about raising the budget….”.
KING: Fort Myers Beach’s Joe Biden, Tom Brady, didn’t really answer yes or no. But, during a Beach Talk Radio interview on February 7, the perennial Council Candidate said — “The Town needs more money…. “I think we need to get Will (Town Manager) more money for a lot of things”.
King: When specifically asked if he was in favor of a millage rate increase and if the millage needs to go up. The response was –“I do…. I think I would have passed the millage at what it was initially proposed as”. That initial proposal was $1.15. Because I wouldn’t support that increase, the Millage rate was lowered to $1.0294, which I did not vote to support either Brady on the Fort Myers Beach Millage rate, “It’s Crazy Small”.
King: John McLean voted to approve the Maximum Millage Rate on Monday. At the June 24th BTR Candidate Forum he said, “I spoke up at the last budget hearings, and I was in favor of an increase at that time.”
King: Stating it was because the reserves we significantly lower than what he thought was prudent. To the best of my recollection, In the 3 years of Budget Hearings John McLean has been the only one of the 5 Candidates to attend Budget Hearings.
King: Rebecca Link voted Monday to approve the Maximum Millage Rate. During the BTR Candidate Forum she said, “If anyone heard me speak last year. I was in support of a Millage increase. I absolutely was.”.
King: Ed Schoonover told BTR – “With the preliminary millage rate set, the council now has the opportunity to slash and cut to best represent the taxpayers of the beach.”… “I would be in favor of going to the rollback rate as we get more properties back and on the tax rolls and giving our residents a much needed break.”.
King: As the only Councilor, in the last 4 years, to never have voted to increase the Millage Rate, I believe it’s important to see where the Candidates stand on the issue.