Cape Coral residents may vote on city leaders’ pay raises

Cape Coral’s Charter Review Commission has proposed that residents be given the opportunity to vote on salary increases for city leaders, including council members and the mayor.”They just need to allocate their funds,” said Taylor Stephens Crab, a Cape Coral resident and future business owner. “That makes the most sense for the city.”Don Apking, vice chairman of the Charter Review Commission, said that the current salaries are insufficient. Council members currently earn about $33,000, while the mayor makes approximately $37,000. “The current is just not justified with everything you have to put up with from the residents, and then the time you have to put in if you want to do it right,” Apking said.The commission is recommending that council members receive $70,000 annually and the mayor $80,000. However, not everyone agrees with these proposed figures. “70K is pretty steep if you do research,” she said. “Maybe if they’re putting a lot of extra elbow grease in.”Apking believes that increasing salaries is essential to improve who represents the city. “We want to attract successful individuals, and you’re not going to do that,” he said.This proposal follows a previous decision by the council to give itself a stipend without voter approval, which sparked controversy. Councilmember Laurie Lehmann voted against the stipend, and she’s sticking with that. “I think they need to have the right to vote with this type because they didn’t get that chance with the stipend, and it was a horror story,” Lehmann said.Lehmann also expressed skepticism about the necessity of such a high raise. “I was fully retired before, so the paycheck is not what guides me as to how much of my job I do,” she said. The commission stated that the council can decide on salaries if there is a majority vote and voter approval. “The fact is that it has to be a supermajority of six votes can’t be just five votes,” Apking said.Ultimately, the decision will be up to the council, before potentially appearing on the 2026 ballot.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

Cape Coral’s Charter Review Commission has proposed that residents be given the opportunity to vote on salary increases for city leaders, including council members and the mayor.

“They just need to allocate their funds,” said Taylor Stephens Crab, a Cape Coral resident and future business owner. “That makes the most sense for the city.”

Don Apking, vice chairman of the Charter Review Commission, said that the current salaries are insufficient. Council members currently earn about $33,000, while the mayor makes approximately $37,000.

“The current is just not justified with everything you have to put up with from the residents, and then the time you have to put in if you want to do it right,” Apking said.

The commission is recommending that council members receive $70,000 annually and the mayor $80,000. However, not everyone agrees with these proposed figures.

“70K is pretty steep if you do research,” she said. “Maybe if they’re putting a lot of extra elbow grease in.”

Apking believes that increasing salaries is essential to improve who represents the city.

“We want to attract successful individuals, and you’re not going to do that,” he said.

This proposal follows a previous decision by the council to give itself a stipend without voter approval, which sparked controversy. Councilmember Laurie Lehmann voted against the stipend, and she’s sticking with that.

“I think they need to have the right to vote with this type because they didn’t get that chance with the stipend, and it was a horror story,” Lehmann said.

Lehmann also expressed skepticism about the necessity of such a high raise.

“I was fully retired before, so the paycheck is not what guides me as to how much of my job I do,” she said.

The commission stated that the council can decide on salaries if there is a majority vote and voter approval.

“The fact is that it has to be a supermajority of six votes can’t be just five votes,” Apking said.

Ultimately, the decision will be up to the council, before potentially appearing on the 2026 ballot.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.