FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                       

Contact:  Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
               (239) 335-2777

FORT MYERS, Fla. (September 19, 2003) – At a final public hearing last night (Sep. 18), the Board of Lee County Commissioners adopted the Fiscal Year 2003-04 County Budget.

The budget includes increases for public safety, libraries, parks & recreation, community development and several major transportation projects, and spending of more than $727 million for operations and new capital projects.

There are no increases in any of the county’s tax rates.  The county’s new fiscal year begins October 1.  Included in the budget is:

$300 million for county operations, including increases for public safety (staffing jail expansion and new air ambulance), libraries (staffing Lakes Regional Library), parks & recreation (including takeover of Red Sox Stadium), and community development (improved service levels in zoning review).

$148 million for constitutional officers (Tax Collector, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Clerk of Court and Supervisor of Elections) and court services, including $93 million for the Sheriff’s Office.

$260 million for new capital projects, including $55 million for the Sanibel Causeway bridges replacement, $48 million for the justice center/government campus expansion in downtown Fort Myers, $32 million for the six-laning of Summerlin Road from Boy Scout Road to San Carlos Boulevard, another $22 million for the 600 ton-per-day expansion of the Waste-to-Energy Facility, and $16 million for Conservation 2020 purchases (see detailed list of major projects below).  To date, more than 11,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land has been purchased for long-term conservation through the Conservation 2020 Program.

Funding for the establishment of an Affordable Housing Reserve ($1 million), assistance to Charlotte County for litigation against phosphate mining ($900,000), a reassembled/platted lands pilot project in Lehigh Acres ($250,000), and the addition of box culverts for the Metro Parkway Extension ($396,000).  Also, $50,000 for WGCU’s 22-part historical documentary of Southwest Florida and $25,000 for the Home Ownership Resource Center.

Set aside $2 million in a trust fund to deal with unfounded mandates from the state legislature.  If the funds are not spent they will be used to reduce taxes next year.

Included in the operational funding is $2.1 million for human services/community agencies (see list below).

Included in the capital funding is $3.4 million for beach and shoreline projects through the Tourist Development Council and paid for with tourist taxes (see list below).

TOP FY2004 NEW CAPITAL PROJECT EXPENDITURES (in millions):

Project                                                Amount*                     Description

Justice Center Expansion                      48.3                             Expand gov’t campus; includes SunTrust buy

Sanibel Causeway Replcmnt                 44.0                             Replacement of fixed bridges

Waste-to-Energy Expansion                 22.0                             Start of 600 ton-per-day expansion

Summerlin Rd Widening                        19.9                            From San Carlos Blvd to Gladiolus Dr.

Conservation 2020                               16.1                             Ongoing purchase of env.-sensitive lands

Summerlin Rd Widening                        12.5                            From Boy Scout Rd to University Dr.

Captiva Renourishment                           6.1                             Renourish beaches on Captiva Island

FGCU Research Park Road                   4.5                             Privately funded road improvements

Gateway Sewer Plant                             3.5                             Finalization of purchase

Road Resurf./Rebuild.                            3.2                             Ongoing maintenance of existing roads

Pine Island Boat Ramp                           3.0                             New boat access to Pine Island Sound

FMB Wastewater Plant                                          3.0                                       Planning for filtration system replacement

Corkscrew Water Plant                                          2.5                                       Water Treatment Plant Expansion

Lee-Hendry Landfill                                                 2.2                                       Phase II of expansion

*Amounts represent payments scheduled in FY2004, not entire project cost, which could be more because of multi-year funding.

COMMUNITY AGENCIES FUNDING

SUPPORTED LIVING/HOUSING  ($692,804)

• Lee Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc. -- $308,298

• Senior Friendship Centers of Lee County -- $107,096

• Island Coast AIDS Network -- $181,160

• Visually Impaired Persons -- $65,000

• Deaf Service Center -- $31,250

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY  ($680,764)

• Child Care of Southwest Florida -- $420,000

• Dr. Piper Center for Social Services, Inc. -- $100,670

• Lee Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc. -- $135,094

• Visually Impaired Persons -- $25,000

 ACTIVITY FOR YOUTH  ($422,015)

• Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Southwest Florida, Inc. -- $166,489

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County -- $202,226

• Lutheran Services -- $53,300

BASIC ASSISTANCE  ($263,721)

• Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. -- $263,721

BEACH AND SHORELINE PROJECTS FUNDING