Special City Council Budget Workshop - July 15, 2026

The Cape Coral City Council held a Special Budget Workshop on July 15, 2026, focused primarily on the fiscal year 2027 budget. The council discussed the proposed budget totaling approximately $285 million, which represents an 8-13% increase over the previous year. Key procurement-related topics included potential revenue adjustments such as millage rate changes, fire service assessment increases, and public service tax adjustments. The council reviewed options to balance the budget, including expenditure reductions, reprioritization of services, and revenue diversification. Public safety program modifications were a significant focus, with requests totaling nearly $13 million for additional police and fire positions and capital costs. The council debated maintaining the rollback millage rate of 5.1988 versus increasing it up to the maximum allowable 5.7187, which would require supermajority approval. Discussions also covered the use of interest earnings and reserve funds, with staff cautioning against budgeting unpredictable interest income due to potential impacts on bond ratings. The council expressed differing views on budget cuts, hiring freezes, and revenue increases, with consensus leaning toward setting a not-to-exceed millage rate at the rollback rate and continuing to explore expenditure reductions and revenue options before final adoption in September. No final votes were taken, but clear direction was given to staff to prepare budget proposals reflecting these considerations.