[birdiebill]

I suspect when the county budget was studied by the new commissioners, they realized they can not roll back the 25% property tax increase and increase the impact fees high enough to make up the difference. I read either on TOTV or the newspaper that the impact fee cannot be raised on just the developer of the over 55 retirement community. If raised on the developer of the Villages, it would also have to be raised on builders of all non-retirement community homes, retail and commercial buildings etc in the county. While I do not know if that is correct and while I have no idea of the multiple line items of the counties budget, I do not know what level of impact fee increase even makes sense. The developer is not asking for his impact fee to be increased, he is volunteering to pay 40% more so that the fee does not have to be increased on all other new construction also.

Second, you cannot compare Collier county with Sumter County. Collier is one of the wealthiest counties per capita while Sumter is a more rural county. Look at the difference in cost of living in Naples or Bonita Springs versus The Villages or Wildwood or Bushnell. I imagine there is a big difference between wealth per capita in Sumter versus Collier counties also.

Third the developer built the Charter school, which I believe is not supported by county taxes. His plans for the next 3 to 5 years include a new K-8 charter school and a new Charter High School in the southern area of development. The developer builds parks in his development in the form of rec centers, golf courses, hiking trails, pickle ball courts, pools, preserves, etc. So comparing to Collier county is more like comparing apples to oranges.

The bond we assume when we buy new construction pays for the cost of the sewers, water lines, roads, electricity lines, internet and cable lines, phone lines etc within the confines of his development.