By james art 
Punta Gorda – When she traveled to Talahasi last year to represent the city, Punta Municipal Council member Gorda Melissa Lockhart said it was considered due to the cost of taxpayers’ money.
She said the money is on the budget of the council member and the almost six -hour trip is worth trying to help Punta Gorda Homeers.
“As members of the Council, we represent the city of advice, committees and conferences outside the city,” she said. “We have a $ 5,000 budget for trips and related expenses for these meetings.”
At that time she was a deputy mayor.
Lockhart said that despite the budget expenses and the possible financing benefits that the Council could bring to the city, some residents “couldn’t believe it” she and then Mayor Lynn Matthew lost money and money from taxpayers when visiting Talahassi.
“They (taxpayers) could not believe that the city had paid for a hotel room to stay while we were there,” Lockhart said. “They said this was incorrect tax dollars.”
However, last year, after three council members met with lawmakers in Talahasi, representing Punta Gorda, the city received $ 2 million state funding for the repair of the sea walls destroyed in the hurricane Ian.
Lockhart said it is important for the members of the City Council to visit legislators while they are in a session, so they will fight for the problems of the domestic rules and the needs of the communities they represent.
For example, Matthews told the legislators how the requirements for a blanket to resolve short -term rents in residential neighborhoods have adversely affected some Punta Gorda communities in the last two years.
Value
Last year, Lux said he would not go to Talahasi to save taxpayers’ money. In the fall, the Talahasi -based lobbyist in the city came to a meeting of the City Council to discuss a proposed list of priorities.
In November, Lux was voted as mayor after three new members were elected. In the last meetings, they, along with LUX and Lockhart, have worked on some newly enclosed legislative priorities.
At the meeting of the Municipal Council, on February 5, Lux announced that he would “personally pay” for his accommodation and food in Talahasi.
Lux plans to request funding for the need of the city police and the fire service for specialized vehicles to help during and after the recovery of the hurricane.
The $ 5,000 council budget pays for a stay at the hotel, eating and recovering the circle 750 miles to Talahasi.
Lux recently stayed at the same Lockhart Hotel last year.
“I’m not attacking the mayor. I think we have to go to Talahasi, it’s just a little ironic that last year was a bad thing and this year is a good thing,” Lockhart said about the luxury decision to travel to Capitol.
Luxury told The Daily Sun that he only wants to recover the mileage from his trip to meet with Senate President Ben Albrite, R-Wauchula, Brian Mimbs of the Policy and Budget Office; State representative Vanessa Oliver from district 76 and the lobbying of the city.
Luxury asked legislators for financing over $ 300,000 for a Bearcat armored vehicle and a vehicle with thick trucks to help floods and remote search and rescue missions.
“I talked to them about the NOAA Water Tide System (National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration) in our waterway and what we can do to prevent our buildings from being flooded with expensive flood gates,” she said. “We are trying to find out if we will also need help in trying to prevent floods on a sunny day with our tides.”
A luxury, which was accompanied by the temporary city manager Melissa Rayhert, said the trip was worth it, adding that Albrite promised to help the city.
“The Senate President Albrite personally sponsors vehicles for us and Oliver will deliver it,” she said. “It was a great meeting with everyone we met.”
She said she would only be paid for mileage.
“I know there is a (trip) budget. I just wanted residents to know that I mean business when they go there,” she said. “I hope another council member will rise in March. It was good to show our concerns.”