OP I think some people either don't understand, or have chosen to approve, the double-dipping, cronyism, and political quagmire going on.
In most counties, towns, or other state municipalities, infrastructure and road maintenance is either done by the state or municipality itself (through their public works department) or they go out to bid for each project. There is rarely a 30-year contract awarded to contractors, ever, for anything. Many things can happen in the 30-years of a contractor's business that would either drive costs up, or result in delays that citizens are paying to have done in a timely manner.
The Morse family has cronies, friends, business partners - in the county government. This is known, no secret, no conspiracy, they talk about it live in meetings. The Morse family ALSO are partners with this particular contractor's owner.
The Morse family has basically made a deal with the county government to award a multi-billion-dollar-deal to their pal and partner, for a 30-year contract, thus completely bypassing the bidding process for the next 30 years. Considering that the Villages is the #1 largest developing real estate in this part of the state, they've basically shut out ALL competition in the region. Everyone involved is able to write their own check for this, and the taxpayer AND the Villages residents pay for it.
One issue is that the Villages residents ARE the taxpayers. So they get to pay twice. Once when they buy the house in the form of bonds (a part of which covers infrastructure in Sumter County), and once per year in the form of the increased taxes.
I feel that it's the 30-year aspect of this that's the trouble, combined with the fact that Village homeowners are already paying a portion of infrastructure costs by way of the bond. Not that Rainey is contracted to do the work. The contract duration terms is just totally inconsistent with the rest of the state, and the rest of the country, and reeks of political and financial payola.
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