Two warring groups in Lehigh Acres the Economic Development Board and a group with no name, but made up of Mike Welch, Eugene Borosch, and Frank Lohlein, who is the self-appointed head of a group he calls CAIT or Citizens Against Increased Taxes, have been battling over how much money Lehigh taxpayers pay to the county and how much money comes back to the community.

The economic board, headed by Edd Weiner is composed of several members. Among them is Mike Swords, the treasurer of the group, who is also a spokesman for the group.

A few months back, the Economic Development Board blamed the county for not putting money it takes from Lehigh and bringing it back to improve the community.

But people such as Mike Welch disagreed.

Last week, Welch, who is also a member of the East County Water Control District board of commissioners, released an explanation in an advertising mail-out paper and said the county does indeed return money, in fact, more money to Lehigh than it takes from taxpayers.

“Recently we have heard in the media, opinions and accusations from individuals that Lehigh Acres is not getting its fair share of revenue from Lee County government.

“We’re not unique with this question. Other communities around Lee County say the same thing. At times, remarks are made by citizens in other parts of the county that they send their money to Lehigh and they are not getting their fair share,” Welch said.

He went on to write that other times the conversation has turned negative and often based on little fact.

“In these hard times when money is tight and the demand for public services is high, then the tensions on the questions of how money is spent are escalated,” Welch said.

So Welch said he began a six-week project with Lee County government to ask two basic questions. And he supplied answers with the cooperation of Eugen Borosch, a Lehigh businessman who owns the Merchant’s Marketer advertising handout mailed to area homes. Welch each week writes a piece for the cover.

“The Economic Development Board will not comment at this time on the article written by Michael Welch and the figures quoted. However, once the Retrospective Study is completed, it will be available to the general public and will speak for itself,” said Michael Swords, the economic board’s treasurer, who spoke for the Economic Development Board.

In the meantime, relentless email writer Frank Lohlein who sends out hundreds of emails each week berating the economic board has filled cyber space with accusations and “ghotcha” letters, claiming that Welch is right and that the economic board is wrong. He has written remarks on The Lehigh Acres Citizen’s online forums often poking fun at the economic board members and concluding his remarks with such remarks as: “yuck yuck yuck ha ho ha ho hee and hee.”

Members of the economic board never reply online to his remarks challenging them to prove they are right.

“Why does the Lehigh Economic Development Board (a private club controlled by Edd Weiner, Mike Swords, and Jere Carrick) keep saying Lehigh does not get back as much taxes as it pays to the county commissioners.

“Here is the proof that they are not telling us the truth. It is a giant scam to fool us into thinking we have to be a city to get our money? We thank Mr. Welch for his work in the past eight months, after 10 years of haggling – he has gotten a new administration building being built and lead the way to an ECWCD balanced budget and no increase in taxes. At least the water board is not going under like the fire department is. We think that we have finally found a level headed official with an acute business acumen and real sense of sizing up both the people’s financial and political situations in and out of Lehigh and is willing to give his time in looking after the best interest of the people of Lehigh Acres,” said Frank Lohlein in one of his latest emails.

Welch asked two questions of county government. First he wanted to know how much in property tax revenue goes from Lehigh Acres to the Board of County Commissioners.

The answer, according to Welch’s findings is $13,611.359.

Secondly he asked how much revenue comes from the Board of County Commissioners to Lehigh Acres and the answer he says is $80,598,010. He said the source was a Lee County Government, FY2010 report.

Welch said he thought the public would be surprised on what costs the county assumes for Lehigh.

“Some of the numbers are surprising. Is Lehigh getting its fair share? You be the judge,” he said.

Welch supplied expenditures in Lehigh and said they reflect capital improvements made within the last five years and one year’s worth of facilities/ projects operating budgets.

“Here’s the explanation,” he said. “Lee County taxing sources for Lehigh Acres: Ad valorem, $10,434,665, library, $890,212; Lee County MSTU, $2,111,808; Lee County All Hazards, $174,221.”

He said Lehigh gets approximately $24 million in gasoline taxes, and $3 million per mile for new road construction.

Welch admitted that the data survey is not all complete but said it shows a general picture of the county’s efforts “in our community.”

“We are not attempting to have an argument with some who have other interests. We want to show in a positive way that when we work with our elected leaders in a mutually respectful way, a lot of understanding and cooperation happens. As in anything the Devil is in the details.

“Naysayers and those with an agenda (such as incorporation) will dispute the county’s data. They will also say ‘what about this and what about that?’ And there will be a counter argument game going on. Like most citizens in Lehigh as in other parts of the county, most people are interested in their fair share nothing more and nothing less.”

Welch said when he moved to Lee County in 1995, Lehigh was a “rough diamond.”

“It still is. To help polish it the Board of Commissioners and our legislators realized that Lehigh’s phase as a company town was coming to an end. Lehigh’s ‘connectivity’ some 16 years ago with the rest of Lee County consisted of a two laned Palm Beach Blvd. and two laned Lee Blvd.

“And now look. Palm Beach Blvd. has been multi laned and modernized. Lee Blvd. is six laned. Daniels Parkway brings us to South Fort Myers in minutes. Colonial Blvd. is being modernized as well as SR82 into downtown Fort Myers. These projects and others are quite an investment. Even greater things are in store for Lehigh Acres as a vibrant part of Lee County and it can be done with good leadership and a good working relationship with the rest of Lee County,” Welch said.

However, the economic board’s membership chairman said facts and opinions don’t always equal truth.

“Mark Twain once said, ‘Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.’ That statement is priceless regarding Frank Lohlein’s opinion letter and the information he is using,” said Ruth Anglickis, the membership chairman for the economic board group.

She added that the economic board appreciates all that Lee County commissioners have done and are doing for Lehigh Acres and the fact that they recognize Lehigh’s needs which she said Lohlein was obviously overlooking,

“Many groups and organizations are coming together to promote the welfare and future of Lehigh Acres. Too bad Mr. Lohlein wastes his time and energy trying to tear down their efforts by providing misinformation. Why doesn’t he direct his efforts in a more positive way?” she asked.

In one email that Lohlein has sent out to a couple hundred people, Anglickis answered by saying “you’ll never change and neither will I checkmate. Don’t bother to send me any more of your ridiculous email because you have a different negative viewpoint of Lehigh Acres and I have a positive viewpoint that I won’t change … None of this has to with raising taxes, but you can’t see the forest for the trees,” Anglickis said.

When Lee County Commissioner John Manning was asked for his comments, he had to following to say:

“The numbers speak for themselves. I believe that the information provided by the various departments of county government demonstrate the level of investment and commitment we have for Lehigh Acres.

“In these challenging times, government and its citizens look even more closely that limited funds are well used. This should always be the case. I think people understand it when it is shown how their tax dollars are used. I think showing how much is paid by the citizens of Lehigh Acres to county government and what it receives in return helps clarify our role and clears up a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding.”