[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I have no horse in this race since I live in Lake County. But from an observer's point of view, I think there does need to be a tax increase. Does it need to be 25%? Doubtful.

But considering that for 14 years, inflation has gone up, but taxes have remained stagnant, I think it could be disastrous for Sumter County if SOMETHING doesn't change.

You need revenue from somewhere. The Villages Developer is paying pennies on the dollar for fees to the county, compared to what other developers are being charged. That wouldn't be such a big deal, except the developer is doing almost all of the developing.

If you're not going to raise the developers fees, then you'll have to pay his share of the taxes.

If it were me, I'd raise the developer fees from $900-something per unit, to $1500 per unit - which is still lower than what everyone else is being charged to develop.

And then I would reduce that 25% to 15%.

Alternatively: impose a one-time assessment on every single property in the county of $2000 per property (a 5-unit attached condo property would count as 5 units, not 1), payable over the next 5 years, and then raise the property tax 10% after that 5 year period. [EDITED - $5000 seemed way too steep after second thought, but $2000 spread over a 5-year period seems pretty reasonable]

PLUS raise the developer fees to $1500 per unit for designated owned properties, and $1000 per designated rental property.