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December 9, 2024 – The Sanibel Historical Museum & Village is celebrating the City of Sanibel’s 50th anniversary – and its own 40th anniversary – by focusing on “The Way We Were,” which will be the theme of the museum’s February 18 fundraiser.
To complement the museum’s new exhibit showcasing the city’s incorporation, the museum is working on a series of articles outlining how the city came to be.
This is Part 5, 1974: The Vote
Citizens of Sanibel strongly voted for the new city despite significant opposition from Lee County and most of the pro-growth development industry. “Save Our Sanibel” and “Sanibel Tomorrow” were organized to turn out a fair vote.
Between the endorsement and the November ballot vote, a group of Sanibel developers said Sanibel could not become a city with the criteria set forth in new proposed state legislation – i.e., an inadequate population. Thanks to Eileen Lotz and her networking in Tallahassee, Sanibel incorporation slipped in before the new criteria became law.
The cost of a new city was an issue prior to the vote. It was estimated to cost approximately $300,000 to $400,000, but what eased the issue of this cost was the additional tax increase that Lee County was going to issue on unincorporated areas. In other words, folks were going to pay one way or another.
Concern for the island environment and a land-use plan pushed the “pro-City” vote and on November 5, 1974, 84 percent of Sanibel’s registered voters went to the polls to vote, 63.6 percent in favor of incorporation.
First City Government, December 1974
A City Council was set up and sworn in as policymakers, holding extensive public hearing to shape a model, low-tax, nonpartisan staff to deliver essential services. The first City Council members were Porter Goss (first Mayor), Vernon McKinzie, Charles LeBuff, Zee Butler, and Francis Bailey.
The new city adopted the Sanibel Vision Statement:
Sanibel is and shall remain a small-town community whose members choose to live in harmony with one another and with nature; creating a human settlement distinguished by its diversity, beauty, uniqueness, character, and stewardship.
Even after Sanibel became a city (incorporation), there were questions as to the legal existence of the city. The city, to be a city, had to have $300,000 for the first year of operation. Because taxes were in arrears, Sanibel had no taxing properties so could not levy normal property taxes. The city then sold $300,000 worth of “tax anticipation notes” for first operational purposes.
Visit the museum to see “The Way We Were.” Save the date of February 18 to celebrate the Historical Village’s 40th anniversary and the City’s 50th anniversary at the museum’s gala fundraiser.
Next week: The Model Plan