Lee County Clerk of Court, FL
Home MenuNews Release:
Lee Clerk publishes new report on county finances, economy
FORT MYERS, FLA (May 13, 2022) – As Lee County’s population grew last year, housing prices and personal income jumped, according to a new financial report issued by Kevin Karnes, Lee County Clerk of the Court & Comptroller. The 20-page report, titled The Sand Dollar, outlines key economic factors impacting county residents.
Trends in property taxes, government spending, investments and capital projects are all illustrated in the easy-to-read guide.
“If you pay taxes in Lee County, it’s important you read this guide and learn how your tax dollars are collected and spent,” Karnes said. “As your Clerk, it is my priority to ensure all citizens have this information easily accessible.”
Notable highlights in this year’s The Sand Dollar include:
- Property tax revenues hit a new record of $419.2 million, a $27.8 million increase over the previous fiscal year.
- Tourist tax brought in $52.8 million, a 24% increase over the pre-pandemic record of $42.6 million in fiscal year 2019.
- Impact fees, which are charged to new development, raised $30.2 million, or 53% over the previous fiscal year.
Hardcopies of the report are available at all county libraries and the Clerk’s offices. You can also download the report at www.leeclerk.org/thesanddollar.
The Sand Dollar is the first popular annual financial report to be issued by the Lee Clerk’s office, which is constitutionally responsible for managing and auditing all county funds. The shortened reports are a best practice in county government and are modeled after the in-depth Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, which has earned the Clerk’s office 36 consecutive national awards. Both reports cover the latest county fiscal year 2021, which ran from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021.
For more information about county finances and the financial reports available from the Clerk’s office, visit www.leeclerk.org/finances.