My Platform
Protect: Safeguard the interest of residents as well as the environment from overdevelopment.
Our town could lose its small-island character, which is the foundation of its tourism and property values.
What other coastal tows have done after a disaster....
- Seaside, FL; Sullivan's Island, SC; Folly Beach, SC - These towns rebuilt carefully with strong design codes, prioritized character and quality of life over rapid developer-driven projects. THE BOTTOM LINE: Tax bases are strong because they preserved their identity.
- Clearwater Beach, FL & Miami Beach - Allowed larger-scale resort development. THE BOTTOM LINE: Tax bases are high, but infrastructure is strained, traffic is constant, and the "local" feel is mostly gone.
Preserve: Dedicated to maintaining the island's community character, local traditions, and quiet zone neighborhoods.
The essential choice Fort Myers Beach faces.....
- Short-term infusion of capital and tax base vs. long-term preservation of livability and unique identify.
Other coastal towns have been rebuilt without huge developments. We need data -- not just developer promises - - to decide what's right for our island.
Prosper: Ensuring economic vitality through balanced support for residents, local businesses, tourism and responsible development.
We need to take a hard look at what it truly takes to prosper in our post-Ian environment. Whenever someone makes a case for or against an issue, I encourage you to pause and ask: “What might be in it for them?”
As your representative, I’ll do the homework — digging up the facts and sharing them openly with residents every step of the way. If tough decisions need to be made, we’ll make them together. No one should be left out of the decision-making process.
Every project should begin with one key question:
Does it fit our plan and our community’s vision?
If we can’t confidently answer “yes,” then it’s a sign we have work to do — on our Comprehensive Plan, our Land Development Codes, and perhaps even on our shared Vision for Fort Myers Beach.
