[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Dond1959

I would encourage everyone to study both sides of the arguments and go to the board meeting later this month. The road impact fees are about 80 items for various residential and commercial development. The developer is only one line item. So if you increase the fees by 150% as allowed by state law all of those 80 items are raised by 150%. For example, the UF hospital and research facility will go from a $1 million dollar fee to over $3 million. Don Wiley, aka goldwingnut, has a great YouTube video that shows how much various buildings impact fees cost now and what they will cost in the future if the proposed raise in fees is passed.

So maybe you say, I don’t really care, I have all the stores, doctors, and restaurants I need. The problem is the thousands and thousands of people south of 44 who do not have all the commercial development to support them. Guess where we are headed? That’s right, to all the commercial development north of 44. So don’t complain if we crowd the restaurants, shopping, or doctors offices. Golf courses are also on the list of 80 items, so maybe the developer just puts in more houses and not golf courses, I will see you at a championship course near you.

With the increase in the road impact fee the developer will keep building. The question is will there be commercial development south of 44. Two things could happen. First, commercial development stops or slows dramatically. This will cause pain to everyone, south and north of 44 as the homes continue to crack out. Second, commercial development could move to Lake county to support the population. Depending on the costs to build that may be where we are headed. The problem will be Sumter will not only miss out on the road impact fees from the development but will also miss out on the ongoing property taxes from that commercial development in Lake county. Which would lead to guess who paying more taxes, that’s right the good old homeowners.

Welcome to your new world.

And do you not think there is room to compromise on both sides?