Cape Coral’s new mayor inherits a city’s growing pains

Cape Coral voters chose new political leadership on a rainy Nov. 3, electing newcomers to three of eight City Council seats — including incoming Mayor Richard “Rick” Erickson.

A retired Army veteran with no political experience, Erickson represents a distinct difference from his predecessor, Mayor John Gunter, a former City Council member who runs a homebuilding company.

“Remember, we just hit the reset button,” Erickson told supporters as they celebrated his victory at Nexus Bar & Lounge in Cape Coral after the polls closed at 7 p.m. “We have a lot of work to do.”

Erickson won 51.88% of the vote, or 39,218 votes, ahead of opponent Lisa Cohen-Adkinson’s 48.12%, or 36,378 votes, preliminary election results show.

He and his colleagues are poised to take the reins of Lee County’s largest city as it grapples with rapid population growth, infrastructure development, affordability concerns and efforts to expand its commercial tax base.

Erickson talked about his leadership approach as he continued to campaign, along with other candidates, during a busy final hour of voting at the Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library.

Erickson said he plans to draw on his military leadership experience and seek experts outside Council to help guide the city’s growth. That could include establishing oversight committees, he added.

Erickson, 63, said he served more than 32 years in the U.S. Army, including as a Green Beret and Army Ranger, and is a Purple Heart recipient.

He plans to ask colleagues and constituents what types of companies they want to attract to the city to create tax revenue and jobs, and to take measures to support local small businesses.

“I plan to take care of mom and pops, because if they fail, we fail,” Erickson said.

Erickson supported Amendment 3, a homestead tax break that would reduce property taxes for qualifying homeowners but reduce a key source of revenue for the Cape and other local governments across the state.

The measure passed Nov. 3 with 61.98% voter approval statewide, exceeding the 60% required for passage. In Lee County, 68.92% of voters supported the amendment, preliminary election results show. Its central measure increases the homestead tax exemption for nonschool property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028.

“I think we should own our houses outright,” Erickson said.

Erickson’s opponent, Cohen-Adkinson, also supported Amendment 3.

“I would like young people to be able to buy a home, work here and live here,” she said.

Others are concerned that the Cape could find ways to raise fees on residents to make up for lost property tax revenue.

“That money is going to come from someplace else, no doubt about it,” said Cape Coral resident and lawn mowing professional John M. Simon, 71.

Simon voted “no” on Amendment 3 but “yes” for Erickson, in part because of Erickson’s status as a political outsider who is not connected to developers and special interest groups.

“He’s a down-to-earth guy,” Simon said. “He has nothing to gain by getting the development projects going fast.”

Erickson describes the city’s infrastructure needs as a primary concern ahead of taking on large commercial developments. He also seeks to make progress on slow-moving projects, such as rebuilding the Yacht Club.

The city has considered spending hundreds of millions of dollars rebuilding the club following hurricane damage, but some residents favor more modest, easily completed improvements.

“I’d rather have it downsized,” said Cape resident Eileen Snider, 69. “And I don’t think we need a hotel over there. We need to get it going. Everything’s at a standstill.”

Amid growing concerns about the cost of living in the Cape, Erickson has made a campaign promise to keep property taxes as low as possible for residents and work to find additional funding solutions for the city’s utility extension project, for which residents are largely footing the bill. On Nov. 2, City Council halted plans for the North 3 phase of the project to recalculate costs for residents.

“It shouldn’t be on the citizens if they’re already struggling,” he said.

He also seeks to improve the relationship between Cape Coral government and its constituents. That’s a direction he heard from many supporters on the campaign trail.

“They want a more transparent, even-keeled person who talks and works with the people,” Erickson said. “My goal is to unite the city as best I can.”

The other newly elected Cape Coral council members are Dave Newton in District 1 and Annette Warren in District 6. They replace council members Bill Steinke and Keith Long, respectively, neither of whom sought reelection.

Incumbent council member Jennifer Nelson-Lastra was reelected in District 4.

The remaining four seats continue to be filled by council members Laurie Lehmann in District 2, Derrick Donnell in District 3, Joe Kilraine in District 5 and Rachel Kaduk in District 7.