[Goldwingnut]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

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.

As was just stated by dewilson58, I doubt that T.O. would risk their reputation for one small county's account. They have a much bigger and long standing client list that relies on thier objectivity. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on this one.

Your post was one of a great many along the same line of public and private comments that I felt compelled to respond to. Not the straw that broke the camel's back, but near the top of the heap yesterday.

I have a busy day ahead of me today, so I'll hold further response to your other comments until later.