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Questions for Lee County commissioners

By Staff | Jun 3, 2009

To The Editor:

I asked the Lee County commissioners this question this last week:

I would like to know what the Unincorporated Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) tax collected each year is used for, and currently how much is in that fund?

And the response was:

“The Unincorporated MSTU tax provides funds for operations that normally would be the responsibility of city governments. Included are development review, environmental sciences, zoning, codes and building services, construction licensing, building and zoning inspections, plan review, community parks, hearing examiner, animal services and partial funding for road and bridge operations.”

The budgeted fund balance is $168,592,100, budgeted reserves are $89,915,505 and pooled cash as of today is $103,639,218.

So if the Lee County commissioners encumber $70 million to pay for the new Red Sox’s Stadium, is there enough to pay for services for the unincorporated area in Lee County?

What about all the roads that need repair in Lehigh Acres itself?

Do we as people that live in unincorporated area in Lee County have a voice when it comes to this?

Why do the taxpayers of the unincorporated areas of Lee County the ones who have to support the stadium? Will Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Spring benefit for this new stadium, too?

The original plan sold to the taxpayers was to use Tourist Development Council money, so where is the money commissioners?

Will the commissioners have to raise Unincorporated Municipal Services Tax this next budget year to cover the cost of the new stadium?

Since the commissioners are borrowing the money for Unincorporated Municipal Services Taxing Unit, what current and future projects will not be done for quality of life needs of the taxpayers of the unincorporated areas in Lee County?

In one article it states: “But that money will be paid back eventually.” But by whom, and at what costs?

I just love the word “eventually” because according to Webster’s Dictionary eventually means “at an unspecified later time” : “in the end.”

Robert Anderson

Lehigh Acres