Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldwingnut
The developer and their subcontractors are as much a part of Sumter County as you, I, and every other individual is a part of Sumter County. Each and every one of us play a part in making Sumter County successful and prosperous. The business of Sumter County serve the residents and the residents support these businesses by giving them their business.
Take the example of a restaurant and its customers, if the county raises the taxes on the restaurant they have not choice but to raise their prices, the higher prices drive customers away. This reduces 1) sales tax revenues that help fund the county, 2) the need for employees who then have less to spend at other businesses, 3) the property values of the restaurant and its property tax contribution to the county budget, and these are just the tip of the iceberg. The reduced revenues have to be compensated for by raising taxes on everyone, leaving them less money to spend with business, leading to more business decline. This spirals out of control very quickly.
If the county raises the taxes on the residents the same spiral of decline is the same with just a slightly different starting point.
Ultimately rising taxes will drive residents away and drive businesses away, and result in even higher taxes for those that remain. Once this downwards trend starts, it is very difficult to reverse.
The only answer is to treat every part of the county - residents, businesses, farms, industry, etc. - fairly and not favor any one over the other and any favor or disfavor of any part starts the negative spiral. Working for the best interests of ALL of Sumter County is the only direction possible for the success of everyone.
What was happening 3 years ago when new members of the BOCC went on a vendetta against not just the developer but all the businesses of Sumter County started the downwards spiral that through their own stupidity and disregard for the laws of the State of Florida was arrested before significant damage could be done to our county's economy and its residents.
I don't work for or favor any entity in Sumter County, I work for all of Sumter County because we are all a part of the county.
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Agreed and In addition I look at tax increases to support improving local infrastructure as an investment in the future for all of Sumter County as well as Florida.
Over 10,000 new homes added to the Sumter County property tax base the past 3 years alone means $60 million of additional real estate taxes per year.
This tax revenue is compounding at a rate over $18 million per year for residential property's alone and is why taxes have stayed relatively low relative to other counties.
Then there's the 15,000+ jobs.
The new roads are used by and benefit all of people in Sumter County. You can probably estimate better than I but it seems currently over 80% of the traffic in the expansion area is from people not living in the Villages.