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Originally Posted by tophcfa
OK, let's assume you are correct, that begs the next obvious question that has no logical answer. Why would the county representatives make a total sham out of the budget process, totally ignoring the input and showing utter disrespect to the taxpayers who attempted to engage in the process. Why did they not listen to the residents concerns and consider raising the impact fees as opposed to a 25% tax increase? I highly doubt that between all 5 representatives, at least one of them wasn't aware that was an option that could be considered and discussed as an alternative to a huge tax increase? Now if that happened, the process might have been viewed as somewhat on the up and up.
I know you keep mentioning that people need to be involved in the process before the increase, not complain after. Many taxpayers, including myself, ATTEMPTED TO GET INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, but quickly learned the process was not a real process, the county was simple holding the meetings required by law and ignoring all taxpayer input in opposition of their proposal. That does way more bad than good, since now people have no confidence in the process and are less likely to get involved in the future. Very sad!
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I would bet that none of the anonymous posters who, either naively or because of some connection with the Developer, defend what the Commissioners have done to the taxpayers of Sumter County in order to benefit the Developer attended the two public meetings you describe. What we saw there was both disgusting and demoralizing. The “fix” was clearly in.
Hopefully, you are wrong about Sumter County residents thereby becoming “less likely to get involved in the future”. Hopefully, they will turn out in droves in the Republican primary next August and in the general election thereafter and vote the bums out.