FORT MYERS, Fla. — A Fort Myers city council seat is up for grabs, and two women are using the last few days leading up to the election to win your vote.
Your Fort Myers community correspondent, Miyoshi Price, spoke with both candidates running for Ward 2 City Council about affordable housing, which impacts many of us.
Depending on your vote on November 5th, that open seat could be Jacquelyn McMiller or Diana Giraldo.
Giraldo says a balanced ratio of rental communities versus home ownership needs to be balanced.
"Home ownership is so important for us to really create the generational wealth," says Giraldo. "It's really part of building the American dream, and we want to make sure that the places that we're creating around the housing are providing equity to the community."
She explained that development, such as grocery stores, dental offices, and medical offices, needs to be added to the community as living spaces are built.
McMiller plans to increase funds through bond opportunities and organization connections. She explained that she loves development and is open to being the middle person, delegating information, and meeting the needs of her constituents.
"The city of Fort Myers has an affordable housing trust fund that we're currently building, and that was one of the ones that I fought for while I was involved with L.I.F.E.," says McMiller. "So there's other areas that we can utilize."
Giraldo says her priorities are infrastructure, flooding, and housing. Her opponent, McMiller, says her priorities are housing, infrastructure, and jobs.
"As an architect with a background in community development, with all the relationships and the work that I have done in the community, this is a natural next step for me," says Giraldo.
McMiller shared that her business and risk management degree and "my Lean Six Sigma certification guarantees that the people will have someone well-versed in city management and nationally recognized, to ensure that city processes run smoothly and efficiently."
Ward 2 covers a pretty big area. It runs from Palm Beach Boulevard to MLK, all over to State Road 82.
Lee county early voting ends tomorrow Saturday Nov. 2. You can learn more at www.lee.vote
