This is not a small increase in impact fees, it is an increase of 100 to 150%. If you think that will not have an impact on businesses and long term revenue for the county you don’t understand basic economics. If the rate is raised by that percentage commercial development will slow dramatically, the number of homes being built will slow.
So you say that’s great we don’t need anymore homes or businesses. But what you don’t calculate is the unemployment increases and costs of social services increases. Revenues for the county actually fall and guess where the county will look to make up the revenue? All those homeowners in Sumter county. The economy here is heavily dependent on the developer and you can hate them. But you increase the impact fee by this magnitude and you are jeopardizing everything we have here.
For those that say I live near Spanish Springs and will never use anything south of 44. If there is a world class research hospital and you or your spouse need that care, you won’t use it? People north of 44 are already using the amenities south of 44 and with the turnpike bridge almost complete I would bet a lot more people north of 44 will be coming down to use the amenities.
Can the impact fee be increased by some amount? Probably so, but there needs to be significant study of the issue to determine the impact, which I hope they do over the next 6 months.
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