Credit: WINK News. Broken sidewalks and neglected infrastructure are about to cost a community in Southwest Florida big. Gateway Community Development District in Lee County sent an open letter to homeowners proposing they pay an additional $600 in fees. A single bill for Gateway homeowners could double in order to repair infrastructure, including sidewalks and sewers. But they want to know why it’s going up so much and where the money they’ve been paying specifically for stuff like this has gone. Pretty trees brought Maureen Martinello to Gateway almost 10 years ago, a place where she and her husband could retire. “It’s just a beautiful area,” Martinello said. “We fell in love with it.” Martinello is now worried Gateway might not be all that affordable anymore. “We’re on a budget,” Martinello said. “We’re both retired. We came down here because it’s cheaper than Boston. It’s just going to be really tough.” A letter to Gateway homeowners says their yearly assessment could go up about 94%, from about $676 to more than $1,300. District Manager Chris Shoemaker says one of the problems are the beloved trees. They cause the sidewalks to crack, lift the road and damage pipes. “The community is really at a tipping point,” Shoemaker said. “If your sidewalks start to deteriorate and your street light starts to deteriorate, it really does have an impact on your housing value and the quality of life in the community.” The money would also fix and upgrade infrastructure, things not touched since the community opened in the 1980s. Shoemaker says this is the result of the community kicking the can down the road for years. “There hasn’t been a reserve fund established, and there hasn’t been any meaningful action to address these issues,” Shoemaker said. While Martiniello wants to see her community look better, it comes with a hefty price tag. “It’s very upsetting, very distressing,” Martinello said. Shoemaker says the budget is a work in progress and hopes the proposed, drastic increase won’t be necessary. There is a public hearing scheduled for Aug. 19.