Blog: Instead of admiring North Port's issues, let’s try to solve them

Blog: Instead of admiring North Port's issues, let's try to solve them

Published on April 13, 2026

Instead of admiring North Port's problems, let's try to solve them

The City of North Port is continuing to address long-standing needs that have gone unmet for too long.

The City Charter has limited our ability to take on debt through general obligation or revenue bonds - a common way to pay for these needs. That has previously been interpreted to mean we cannot take on any debt without voter approval. But in consultation with our legal and financial advisors, we're exploring another way to potentially borrow money and take care of projects that must get done, all without raising property taxes.

Although last year's voter referendums failed, the needed projects haven't gone away. In fact, the list has only grown - to the tune of more than $1 billion in necessary capital projects. Our team has taken great effort to identify and prioritize them according to need, service impact and funding availability. But the truth of the matter is that they are all important, and while we could spend days or weeks debating the merit of each of them, at some point it's time to take action and start somewhere.

The pathway we are exploring is a court-validated process of borrowing money and addressing three of the needs that we can afford - the first phase of a new Police Headquarters and the replacement of two City-owned buildings: the Community Education Center (current home to Awaken Food Pantry and, until recently, the North Port Senior Center) and the recently demolished Dallas White Park Cultural Building (former home of the North Port Art Center).

This direction reflects a thoughtful and deliberate effort to solve real problems in a way that aligns with the priorities our community has consistently expressed. Residents have made it clear that they expect us to be responsible stewards of public resources and to avoid raising their taxes whenever possible. This approach allows us to move forward on a few of our many essential infrastructure projects while respecting that expectation.

I appreciate the support of those I've heard from who understand our dilemma, and we want to better explain this new option to some others. We are not trying to circumvent the will of the voters. This funding option will include community input to ensure we are headed in the right direction. We ask that residents trust that the officials they elected to represent them will work in the community's bet interests.

The need for these three projects is not new. For years, our Police Department has operated in a facility that no longer meets the operational and technological demands of a growing city. Since taking office in 2018, Chief Todd Garrison has been candid and consistent in communicating these challenges. Similarly, the Community Education Center and the Dallas White Park Cultural Building experienced years of deferred maintenance and limited investment, to the point that they fell into disrepair, and the nonprofits that resided in them for years are now being displaced.

To be clear, we are not placing blame or digging up the past. This is about the future. The Commission's direction is a prudent next step. We believe that we can borrow the money needed to pay for these projects and pay it back within our existing budget over the coming years, without raising property taxes. Let me say that again: We've found a way to pay for these three projects without raising your taxes, but rather by tightening our belts and trimming our budget. As our city continues to grow, our revenues will catch and contribute to paying for other projects going forward.

This is our next best chance of actually getting things done, rather than continuing to simply admire the problems. Ultimately, it will be up to the City Commission to determine the best use for these buildings and how we meet the community's needs.

Investing in these facilities means enhancing public safety, community partnerships and quality of life. Ultimately, this is the kind of responsible and necessary action that local government is supposed to take, and in this case, it is long overdue. By taking a proactive and fiscally mindful approach, we can begin to correct past inaction, meet current needs and position our city for a stronger future.

Jerome Fletcher is the North Port City Manager. He can be reached at [email protected].

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