[Goldwingnut]

Originally Posted by PennBF

The major reason the Villages lost a lawsuit of $40M is because no reserve funds were put aside for repair and replace to the Paradise Country Club in the historic section and it was totally run down. Allegedly even mice in the walls? When told to fix it the Villages said "we have no funds and can't to it" Reserves were never put aside. Thus the law suit and the fine for this neglect was $40,000,000,000. We now face the county not projecting future needs and preparing for them. They just stand up and say we didn't plan so outrages increases will be made to your tax base. This is what you are being governed by?? Any first grade person knows you have to put aside funds in case of an emergency. The residents should demand the County do a base budget plan and go to bare bones spending to off set the neglence of not planning. Does any normal person not realize the roads will need attention in future years or there will be wear and tear on the bridges,etc. What a shame!

Your point is valid (zero count excepting ) about not looking to the future, unacceptable.

The questions in my mind focus around the growth in revenue vs expenses, for 14 years they touted how well the county is managed and able to control costs and suddenly they can't and need a 25% increase.

Their justifications all have holes in them! School budgets and police officers to support yet the total school taxes collected increase by millions each year with a disproportionally small increase in student - the majority of the county population is in The Childless Villages.

Need to build more roads to support the growth, what happened to the $2600 impact fee each new home is charged? It was supposed to build these roads!

Need to resurface Buena Vista and Morse, they collect impact fees with every gallon of gas we purchase and justified it with having to maintain the roads, the report is available online! Where have they been spending the money? How did they pay for the road work done last year without a tax increase? What makes Morse and BV so special, is it because they are in The Villages and "they can afford to pay more"?

Let's not forget the rest of the residents in Sumter County. It's no secret that people in The Villages are generally more financially secure than most. Take a drive down some of the back roads of the county, there are a lot of people that survive on less that what many of us spend on going out to eat each year. How do they pay the increase when living paycheck-to-paycheck? This is going to affect all of use and will hurt the lower income people more than others.

I have grown tired of The Villages residents being the cash cow for Sumpter County, Lady Lake, Wildwood, and Fruitland Park. A fair and unbiased accounting and justification is required before any increase is justified.