Clean Water and Coastal Protection
Support Advanced Wastewater Treatment, improve stormwater management, protect beaches and waterways, preserve wildlife habitat, and invest in long-term coastal resiliency.
Marco Island City Council
Chris Ricci for Marco Island City Council
Your Voice, Our Priority: protecting what makes Marco Island special through clean water, responsible growth, fiscal discipline, and accountable leadership.
Every major decision starts with one question: how does this affect the residents of Marco Island?
Marco Island deserves leaders who explain difficult decisions clearly, share the facts openly, and plan beyond the next election cycle.
Listen first.
Respect residents, advisory committees, and the facts on the ground.
Plan ahead.
Fix infrastructure before delays make projects more expensive.
Protect the island.
Keep water quality, beaches, neighborhoods, and wildlife at the center.
Why I'm Running
Analytical leadership for serious decisions.
Marco Island faces major decisions involving infrastructure, finances, water quality, growth, and quality of life. I am running because those decisions require analytical thinking, transparency, and long-term planning - not slogans.
- Chairman Beach & Coastal Resources Advisory Committee
- Member Audit Advisory Committee
- Experience Executive and financial management
Follow the Money
City finances affect every resident.
I believe citizens deserve clear, understandable information - not just budget documents. The City Finances page explains what the FY2025 annual audit says about Marco Island's financial condition, the two accounting process findings, and the improvements I will push for.
Why Chris
Experienced leadership for a turning point.
Marco Island faces decisions over the next decade that will shape our infrastructure, water quality, growth, finances, and quality of life. Chris Ricci is running because those decisions deserve thoughtful planning, environmental stewardship, and steady long-term judgment.
Chris brings executive leadership experience, financial oversight, environmental advocacy, and direct service in city government. As Chairman of the Beach and Coastal Resources Advisory Committee and a member of the Audit Advisory Committee, he has seen both the opportunities and the challenges facing Marco Island up close.
His approach is practical: gather the facts, review the data, listen to stakeholders, understand the tradeoffs, and make decisions based on long-term community benefit.
Protecting What Makes Marco Island Special
Safe. Beautiful. Financially sound. Built for the residents who call it home.
Marco Island is more than budgets and ordinances. It is neighbors helping neighbors after a storm, families on the beach, boaters at sunset, thriving local businesses, and the natural beauty that makes people fall in love with this island.
Priorities
Your Voice, Our Priority for Marco Island.
Chris will focus on the work that protects daily quality of life while preparing the city for the future.
Responsible Growth
Manage redevelopment thoughtfully, protect neighborhood character, and make sure infrastructure keeps pace with growth.
Fiscal Responsibility
Maintain transparency, strong reserves, disciplined budgeting, and long-term financial planning before problems become emergencies.
Tourism and Community Balance
Support a strong tourism economy while protecting the neighborhood peace and quality of life residents value.
How I Think
My Decision-Making Framework
Listen
Start with residents, advisory committees, staff, and the people closest to the problem.
Analyze
Use data, costs, alternatives, and tradeoffs before reaching a conclusion.
Decide
Make the best long-term decision for Marco Island, even when the issue is difficult.
Follow Through
Track results, communicate clearly, and adjust when the facts change.
Current Issues
Facts. Tradeoffs. My View.
Short explanations of the issues currently shaping Marco Island's finances, infrastructure, neighborhoods, and quality of life.
FY27 Budget Gap
Staff projections show recurring expenses outpacing recurring revenues in FY27 unless solutions are identified. This is a planning gap, not a current operating deficit.
Read Issue BriefHilton Variance
I support reinvestment in the Hilton property, but I do not support the current proposal if the requested density and scale conflict with the Comprehensive Plan or set a harmful precedent.
Read Issue BriefInfrastructure Referendum Bond
Public safety comes first. If engineers determine that critical infrastructure must be repaired or replaced, the question becomes how to fund it responsibly.
Read Issue BriefTurtle Lot Proposal
Revenue-generating parking ideas deserve careful analysis: acquisition cost, traffic impacts, neighborhood effects, and realistic revenue assumptions all matter.
Read Issue BriefCanal Water Quality
Clean canals protect the environment, property values, and quality of life. Funding decisions should be tied to science, measurable results, and fairness.
Read Issue BriefShort-Term Rentals
Short-term rentals support tourism and property owners, but neighborhoods also deserve peace, safety, and reasonable nuisance protections.
Read Issue BriefPickleball
Recreational amenities are valuable, but noise and neighborhood compatibility must be addressed with data, mitigation, and public input.
Read Issue BriefPublic Safety Funding
I support Marco Island's local police and fire departments. Any county-services alternative would need overwhelming proof of equal service, local accountability, and a steep, reliable discount.
Read Issue Brief
The Choice
Vote for practical leadership that protects the island we love.
Chris Ricci is not running to advance an agenda or score political points. He is running to help ensure Marco Island remains safe, beautiful, financially sound, and an exceptional place to live for current and future residents.
Join the CampaignGet Involved
Ready to help protect Marco Island's future?
Email Chris to share your priorities, volunteer, request a yard sign, or learn how to support the campaign.