Electricity bills increase in Cape Coral to help city pay off charter school debt

CAPE CORAL

If you live in Cape Coral, you will pay more for electricity this year. That extra money will be used to pay for charter schools in the area.

The City of Cape Coral believes charter schools add value and are worth the investment, but that investment costs more than the city can currently afford.

Cape Coral is raising electricity taxes to pay off debt on charter school buildings.

“This change will cost residents approximately $27 per year,” said Cape Coral spokeswoman Melissa Mickey.

Since 2013, the Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) has not imposed a utility tax on the first 500 kilowatt hours of customers each month. With effect from the beginning of April, that will be over.

Cape Coral city leaders will ask the LCEC to collect taxes on those first 500 kilowatt hours on their behalf. The utility will levy the tax per kilowatt hour, increasing the average customer bill by $2.25 a month.

That new money will be used to pay off the old debt on charter school buildings.

“There are K to 12 charter school systems in the city,” says Mickey. They are part of Cape Coral City. No other single action taken by a city can improve property values ​​as much as a city with a successful city charter school system. ”

Cape Coral city leaders discussed the changes during several public meetings before passing a measure in October to increase electricity bills to raise the amount needed.

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