Heather Baxa

Candidate for Mayor of the City of Shoreacres

February 26, 2026

Dear Neighbors,

As Mayor, my focus will be on strengthening Shoreacres’ financial position through responsible growth, contract optimization, and strategic revenue expansion — without burdening residents unnecessarily.

Rather than relying on a single revenue source, my plan focuses on diversified improvements across key categories.

Property Tax Base Growth (3–7% Increase)

Through:

Encouraging responsible new residential development

Ensuring accurate property valuations

Strategic infill development

Goal:

Increase total property tax revenue by 3% to 7% annually through growth — not rate hikes.

This focuses on expanding the tax base, not increasing rates on existing homeowners.

Franchise Fee Optimization (5–10% Increase) 

By:

Reviewing electric, gas, telecom, and cable franchise agreements

Renegotiating expiring contracts

Auditing fee compliance

Goal:

Improve franchise fee revenue by 5–10% through contract management and compliance oversight.

This captures revenue already owed to the city.

Sales & Local Economic Activity (5–12% Growth)

Through:

Supporting appropriate commercial activity

Improving compliance reporting

Encouraging permitted short-term rental oversight

Identifying underperforming sales tax categories

Goal:

Increase local sales-related revenue by 5–12% over time.

Strategic Leasing & Commercial Use (10–25% Growth Potential)

Rather than selling city-owned assets, my plan focuses on:

Structured lease agreements

Revenue-sharing opportunities

Long-term contractual income streams

Goal:

Increase lease and commercial-related revenue by 10–25%, depending on activity levels.

This creates recurring income instead of one-time gains.

Grant Funding & Infrastructure Offsets (High-Impact Variable Revenue)

Aggressively pursue:

State water infrastructure grants

Drainage improvement grants

Public safety grants

No-match or low-match funding programs

Goal:

Secure grant funding to offset major infrastructure costs by reducing the city’s capital burden by up to 30–50% on qualifying projects.

This protects local taxpayers while improving infrastructure.

Operational Efficiency & Cost Controls (5–15% Personnel Optimization)

Without reducing service quality:

Eliminate unnecessary overtime

Review administrative structures

Align staffing with actual operational need

Reduce benefit inefficiencies

Goal:

Improve personnel efficiency by 5–15%, reallocating savings into infrastructure and reserves.

What This Means for Residents

Instead of:

Increasing tax rates

Relying on one-time asset sales

Making reactionary budget cuts

My plan:

Grows the tax base responsibly

Optimizes existing revenue streams

Renegotiates underperforming contracts

Uses grants strategically

Reduces structural inefficiencies

This creates long-term financial stability, not short-term patches.