Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldwingnut
You are absolutely correct, the blame game has to stop. Few are from here and all bring their own preconceptions with them, not all are good and not all are bad, just different. The goal for all of us needs to be getting along, adapting, and accepting our community. This place is like no other, let's not try to make it like someplace else. Life is way too short, especially at our ages, to start acting like spoiled children.
As far as if you agree with my opinion or not, that is something only you can decide, just make your decision an informed decision. Do your own research so you have facts to base your decision on. Do not believe what you read from the habitual posters and complainers on this site, what you read on facebook, read in the paper, or what you read on that other website, all are biased and omit the facts that don't fit their agenda. Get the facts, make up your own mind, be your own person.
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Don, I completely agree, and very much appreciate your previous post that explains a lot. I was the first person on this thread to call you out about posting opinions referencing the impact fees on your construction update video, and I stand by that. That being said, I was very careful to NOT CALL YOU OUT about being in bed with the developer and not looking out for the best interests of the residents of the Villages. I have followed your work as a representative of Villages residents and sincerely applaud your efforts. I do have a question about the so called facts regarding impact fees, I love working with proven facts. The source of the facts you reference are a study made by the consulting firm out of Tampa, Tindale and Oliver. As anyone that did not fall off the turnip truck yesterday knows, the opinions of a consulting firm are not necessarily facts, they are opinions. Consulting firms have to walk a fine line between reputable facts and catering to their clients wishes. Whenever I review the credibility of a consulting firms opinion, the first question I ask myself is who hired the firm and what was the predetermined opinion the hiring entity hoped to hear? The impact fee study was done in 2019, and presumably the firm was hired by the then current Sumter County Commissioners, all 5 of which were hand picked by a certain party (anyone who denies this obviously did not carefully follow the last election). It is also not a reach to theorize that a certain party highly recommended that Tindale and Oliver be the party to take on the study. There is no doubt that the powerful economic force that is the Villages can influences the opinions of many other businesses that want a piece of the economic windfall that corresponds with the money making machine that is the Villages (which I have no problem with, Capitalism is what has made our country great). That being said, wouldn't it be nice, and comforting to Villages residents, that so called facts, based on a study, come from another "independent and objective" consulting firm that is hired by an entity that does not have a financial "AX to GRIND" based on the outcome of the study? I will be the first in line to "eat crow" if a truly independent and objective consulting firm verifies the study that has been referenced as facts, but until then, my intuition tells me to remain skeptical.
Thanks again Don for all the tireless effort you have put in as both the Chairman of CDD10, and with the PWAC.