[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages

[ The new fire district is being supported by the Developer (note the cap on taxes on commercial property),


I agree - VOTE NO

To fund the fire district, there will be a millage rate tax on property UP TO A MAX VALUE OF $10 MILLION.

Look at any shopping plaza (they are all owned by the Developer). Look at Brownwood Hotel, or the Waterfront Hotel (owned by the Developer). Look at the new Brownwood Medical building (owned by the Developer.) If they are not each worth $10 million now, they soon will be. But the $10 million cap will stay $10 million forever.

And each of those buildings pay the same $124 per rooftop that you are paying because they have just one rooftop. Those apartment buildings at Brownwood, with dozens of units under one rooftop, also pay just $124 per building.

Why should the Developer's contribution to the fire department be capped artificially low and we have to pay full amount? Those commercial buildings and tall buildings require special equipment (which means larger firehouses).
He should be paying on the full value of his buildings, which he does now on the County property tax.

The proposed funding system is not fair.

Just because you don't understand it does not mean it is not fair.

Do the research - I found 17 properties that will benefit from the $10M cap. Not hundreds, not dozens, just 17 and not all of them are owned by the Villages.

The rest of the 2000+ properties clearly owned by the Villages will have the same increase that you do. Well, not exactly the same: yours will be maybe $100. Theirs will range from $100 to at least $750.

AND FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME: YOU ARE PAYING MUCH MORE THAN $124 TODAY!