Cape Coral Scrutiny Grows Over Mayor Gunter’s Dry Cleaning and Valet Expenses. Whats another $400 in Taxpayer Funds...

Cape Coral taxpayers are officially fed up, and they have every right to be.

After the public learned about nearly $1,000 in dry-cleaning reimbursements for Mayor John Gunter, the outrage was loud enough to shake City Hall. But instead of changing course or offering transparency, the city has doubled down with yet another $400+ spent on the mayor’s dry cleaning and valet. The Dry Cleaning receipts list no items, no services, no explanation.

Just a total.Just your money.Just another bill rubber-stamped by a city that thinks taxpayers don’t deserve answers.

It makes you wonder if he’s even claiming these expenses on his taxes as well???

What Exactly Are We Paying For?

The dry cleaner used by the mayor doesn’t just clean shirts and suits. They offer:

• Dry Cleaning

• Laundry

• Alterations

• Rugs & Draperies

• Flag Cleaning

• Outdoor & Boat Cushions (Remember a $1,000,000 Boat)

So what did Cape Coral taxpayers actually pay for this time?

A laundered shirt?Altered pants?Cleaned draperies?A boat cushion scrub-down?

Because right now, the receipts leave every possibility open, and that’s exactly the problem. No private business, no nonprofit, and no normal employer would reimburse anything without itemization. Yet this city government signs off on blank receipts using your money.

Uniforms, that's funny!

Uniforms are not required for members of the Cape Coral City Council. The city charter outlines the structure, powers, and responsibilities of the council, but it does not include any provisions mandating uniforms or specific attire for council members. Instead, council members are expected to dress professionally at their discretion, without any formal uniform requirement established by the charter.

And If That’s Not Enough… Valet Parking?

On top of the mysterious dry-cleaning charges, we also discovered valet parking for the mayor, more proof our mayor’s actions reveal his own persona of self importance and entitlement.    

Apparently, in his own delusion of self importance, he feels he shouldn’t have to use available free parking at his hotel and, God forbid he may have to actually walk a few hundred feet and save taxpayer money.  Subject hotels were contacted to verify valet parking was not the only parking choice.

As if taxpayers should be thrilled to pay premium parking fees for a public official who can’t be bothered to park his own car, while those same taxpayers are juggling rising assessments, utility bills, and everyday costs just to stay afloat.

It begs the question:Is Cape Coral running a city or pampering a politician?

This Isn’t a One-Off, It’s a Pattern

The dry-cleaning reimbursements are not isolated incidents. They’re part of a growing list of questionable expenses and decisions that have pushed residents to demand audits, transparency, and accountability.

Cape Coral taxpayers are dealing with:

• Massive, ballooning project costs

• Rising taxes and fees

• Opaque financial practices

• Leadership that treats public funds like a personal account

And now, reimbursements for personal luxury services with no itemized documentation whatsoever.

Enough Is Enough

This isn’t about dirty laundry anymore.This is about dirty governance.

Taxpayers deserve, and are demanding:

• Full itemization of every reimbursed expense

• Justification for each charge

• An immediate halt to personal perks on the city’s dime

• Independent audits to expose misuse or abuse of funds

Cape Coral residents are tired of footing the bill for secrecy, arrogance, and entitlement.

If Mayor Gunter wants respect from the public, he can start with the basics:

Stop hiding behind blank receipts, and show taxpayers what their money is actually paying for.

All information has been thoroughly investigated and reported by the Take Out the Trash Committee of Cape Coral and/or its authorized volunteers!