Sumter raises taxes again , cuts money for music at squares

[John41]

Current Sumter commissioners supported by the developer voted to raise taxes and cut funding for music at the squares as reported in Villages News.
This is another example of how the current developer plans to radically transform The Villages from the vision of the founder Harold Schwartz that has been so successful.

[graciegirl]

Current Sumter commissioners supported by the developer voted to raise taxes and cut funding for music at the squares as reported in Villages News.
This is another example of how the current developer plans to radically transform The Villages from the vision of the founder Harold Schwartz that has been so successful.

If people's taxes have gone up it is because the appraised value of their home is greater.

The money for entertainment on the squares comes from the Merchants on the squares.

[Northwoods]

Current Sumter commissioners supported by the developer voted to raise taxes and cut funding for music at the squares as reported in Villages News.
This is another example of how the current developer plans to radically transform The Villages from the vision of the founder Harold Schwartz that has been so successful.

I can't understand the logic of cutting the money to fund entertainment on the squares. I believe the entertainment is funded through this year. This means the "new" commissioners will have to make the decision to reinstate it, find another way to fund it, or stop entertainment.
I wonder if the current commissioners did this to "stick it" to the incoming commissioners.

[starflyte1]

The way I understand the cut is that it is only Spanish Springs in Lake County. Music will be funded to the end of the year, and the funding could return at a later date.

LSL and Brownwood are not changed.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

If people's taxes have gone up it is because the appraised value of their home is greater.

The money for entertainment on the squares comes from the Merchants on the squares.

SOME of the money for entertainment on the squares came from a Tourist Development grant from Sumter County, with the money raised via tourism taxes. Last year's was I believe $120,000 to both Brownwood and Sumter Landing, since Spanish Springs Town Square isn't in Sumter County and therefore doesn't get Sumter County grant money.

Also, taxes have gone up because Sumter County raised taxes last year. Perhaps you were absent for several months' worth of threads on the subject right here.

[Bogie Shooter]

I can't understand the logic of cutting the money to fund entertainment on the squares. I believe the entertainment is funded through this year. This means the "new" commissioners will have to make the decision to reinstate it, find another way to fund it, or stop entertainment.
I wonder if the current commissioners did this to "stick it" to the incoming commissioners.

The second question, what will the new commissioners do?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The way I understand the cut is that it is only Spanish Springs in Lake County. Music will be funded to the end of the year, and the funding could return at a later date.

LSL and Brownwood are not changed.

It's reverse of that. Sumter County abolished the tax. Lake County is unchanged.

[Going My Way]

The second question, what will the new commissioners do?
No politics are allowed on this forum!

[Northwoods]

The second question, what will the new commissioners do?

Exactly.
In my opinion, if the new commissioners are smart, they will reinstate the tourism tax and keep funding the entertainment at LSL and Brownwood.
But, I'm afraid the new commissioners will say The Developer should pay for it. "Entertainment sells homes so The Developer should fund it." Well... The Developer has sold a lot of homes during the Pandemic, without entertainment.

[Stu from NYC]

Exactly.
In my opinion, if the new commissioners are smart, they will reinstate the tourism tax and keep funding the entertainment at LSL and Brownwood.
But, I'm afraid the new commissioners will say The Developer should pay for it. "Entertainment sells homes so The Developer should fund it." Well... The Developer has sold a lot of homes during the Pandemic, without entertainment.

I do not expect the developer to pay for the entertainment. Hopefully the merchants will continue to do so and the county will reinstate the tourist tax.

[Moderator]

Please note that discussion of local tax increases or changes, County elections, etc. are not necessarily considered to be political per TOTV rules. It's a valid area of interest to many residents.

However, any such comments that reference national political parties or one's feelings about same, that tie local elections to national ones, or that otherwise veer off topic will continue to be removed and sanctions given if warranted.

[Northwoods]

Please note that discussion of local tax increases or changes, County elections, etc. are not necessarily considered to be political per TOTV rules. It's a valid area of interest to many residents.

However, any such comments that reference national political parties or one's feelings about same, that tie local elections to national ones, or that otherwise veer off topic will continue to be removed and sanctions given if warranted.

:coolsmiley: Thanks! Because I think this is a very important topic. (and it has nothing to do with national politics)

[graciegirl]

SOME of the money for entertainment on the squares came from a Tourist Development grant from Sumter County, with the money raised via tourism taxes. Last year's was I believe $120,000 to both Brownwood and Sumter Landing, since Spanish Springs Town Square isn't in Sumter County and therefore doesn't get Sumter County grant money.

Also, taxes have gone up because Sumter County raised taxes last year. Perhaps you were absent for several months' worth of threads on the subject right here.


THE OP said taxes were raised AGAIN. It didn't happen twice. If the taxes have gone up this year it is because the homes may have appraised more just as I said. I wasn't absent. Were you?

[CWGUY]

I can't understand the logic of cutting the money to fund entertainment on the squares. I believe the entertainment is funded through this year. This means the "new" commissioners will have to make the decision to reinstate it, find another way to fund it, or stop entertainment.
I wonder if the current commissioners did this to "stick it" to the incoming commissioners.

:confused:I'm confused. Didn't the EMS group (as they like to call themselves) run on the promise to STOP the entertainment funding from the County? I seem to recall the wife of one candidate talking about it on this site. :oops:

[Two Bills]

:confused:I'm confused. Didn't the EMS group (as they like to call themselves) run on the promise to STOP the entertainment funding from the County? I seem to recall the wife of one candidate talking about it on this site. :oops:

Correct!

[Northerner52]

Sounds like a lot of misinformation

[bowlingal]

Gary Search is the only one left running on the current ballot. The other two are elected. Vote for Gary Search now, and get rid of the last commissioner who stuck it to us last year

[Stu from NYC]

Gary Search is the only one left running on the current ballot. The other two are elected. Vote for Gary Search now, and get rid of the last commissioner who stuck it to us last year

Lets hope he somehow didnt get bought and paid for.

[dewilson58]

The OP is spreading Fake News AGAIN.


The mill rate went down.

[Neils]

If people's taxes have gone up it is because the appraised value of their home is greater.

The money for entertainment on the squares comes from the Merchants on the squares.

News flash—

Big chunk of funding comes from county entertainment tax

County raised the real estate tax rates

[Gmaf6]

The millage rate went down as promised. If your taxes went up, it was because your appraised value went up, school county taxes went up, etc.

[J1ceasar]

But they could have lowered millage even more ! Last year's taxes went up 50 million!!!!

[J1ceasar]

This year it was about 3,500 to 5000 homes sold as well as several million square feet of retail and warehousing added to Sumter this alone would have been more than enough to gather in more real estate taxes to pay for any reasonable cost for running the county

[J1ceasar]

Just again you do realize that the politicians can lower the millage rate as much as they want to have what is called the same taxes as they see you before in total collected for the budget it is entirely false to say that your taxes went up because your home values went up. It is strictly up to them to decide how much money does the county spends and how much yet decided to collect

[dewilson58]

This year it was about 3,500 to 5000 homes sold as well as several million square feet of retail and warehousing added to Sumter this alone would have been more than enough to gather in more real estate taxes to pay for any reasonable cost for running the county


You should look at where the dollars went and what taxes were collected. Your assumptions won't help.

[J1ceasar]

Look at the estimated tax bill you received prior to the taxes being decided by state law you must receive this. Further even though where we can see is different economically, you should look at Marion Sumter an orange and read about their tax increases or decreases. You should be coming informed taxpayer and actually take a few minutes out of your retired lives 2 IDI actual budgets you don't have to be an an accountant to look at where money is being spent. Important things are school systems hospitals infrastructure payroll Etc

[Bogie Shooter]

No politics are allowed on this forum!


Just answering a Political Post....

[biker1]

Not exactly. In Sumter, about 2400 new homes were sold so that is new tax revenue. I believe a similar number of used homes were sold. Since the used homes will typically start off with a new and higher assessed value, assuming the buyers weren't moving from another home in FL, there is probably some incrementally higher tax revenue associated with those homes. Regarding whether the increased revenue from both new and used home sales was "more than enough ... to pay for any reasonable cost for running the county", you would need to take a look at the county budget to draw such a conclusion.

This year it was about 3,500 to 5000 homes sold as well as several million square feet of retail and warehousing added to Sumter this alone would have been more than enough to gather in more real estate taxes to pay for any reasonable cost for running the county

[Rosie1950]

While the business in the squares contribute to entertainment, I wonder if they were being assessed for entertainment while they were closed for a couple of months, AND AFTER opening back up had very slow business. With still NO entertainment from March till October, did these struggling businesses have to pay?
Maybe that’s why some left after their leases were up, the were tired of HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
They had no problem charging homeowners for refuse pick up AFTER the hurricane when we had the refuse sitting in our yards for weeks OR at the disgraceful amounts at some postal stations FOR WEEKS.
Maybe the drink stations should start footing some of the bill, always looks like THEY rake in quite a bit nightly.

[biker1]

Are you really going to start complaining about yard debris pickup after Hurricane Irma? Really? The county was inundated with yard debris for weeks and was not staffed, nor should have been, for such infrequent events. My garbage was still picked up. Yard debris sitting around for a few weeks, when dealing with a huge volume of material, is not a problem.

While the business in the squares contribute to entertainment, I wonder if they were being assessed for entertainment while they were closed for a couple of months, AND AFTER opening back up had very slow business. With still NO entertainment from March till October, did these struggling businesses have to pay?
Maybe that’s why some left after their leases were up, the were tired of HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
They had no problem charging homeowners for refuse pick up AFTER the hurricane when we had the refuse sitting in our yards for weeks OR at the disgraceful amounts at some postal stations FOR WEEKS.
Maybe the drink stations should start footing some of the bill, always looks like THEY rake in quite a bit nightly.

[charlie1]

I have to say that I am sick of the whiners about the taxes! I have owned homes in multiple states and multiple areas of Florida. Sumter County has been and continues to be the lowest property taxes. Yes, last year your taxes were raised for the county portion on the property tax (which is about 33% of your total property taxes) by 25% which raised your overall taxes by about 10% (rounding) but this was after, I believe 14 years without a tax increase for Sumter COUNTY TAXES! They could have raised the taxes every year by 2% and no one would have had an issue but we would have had even a larger tax bill last year! This year the tax rate for Sumter County did not go up based on what I saw on our TRIM notice!

Also, The new Commissioners ran on a promise that they would lower taxes and ELIMINATE the Squares subsidy! Sure it would be nice if they could reduce the taxes but I for one do not want the end result to be less services or reduced maintenance to our streets and infrastructure. We have it REALLY REALLY good here.

[Waltdisney4life]

Let’s hope the new commissioners can undo some of the damage done by the outgoing commissioners!

[allsport]

Of course they did.

[graciegirl]

Let’s hope the new commissioners can undo some of the damage done by the outgoing commissioners!

WHAT DAMAGE? I am so worried that these new commissioners will attempt to overthrow the very well run CDD form of government and turn us into an Orlando.

I think we need to watch the new ones very carefully because I don't like the fact that one of them shifted parties. He lost enormously in last local election when he was on the Blue team.

[Joe C.]

So they abolished the tax.........What's the worst that can happen?
No "entertainment".
None of that EXTRA LOUD crap that is supposed to be entertainment.
At least I will be able to go to the squares with my friends, sit and have a drink and actually engage in a conversation without having to yell over the volume of "music", and be able to hear what is being discussed.
Fine by me.

[dewilson58]

So they abolished the tax.........What's the worst that can happen?
No "entertainment".
None of that EXTRA LOUD crap that is supposed to be entertainment.
At least I will be able to go to the squares with my friends, sit and have a drink and actually engage in a conversation without having to yell over the volume of "music", and be able to hear what is being discussed.
Fine by me.
:1rotfl:

[yurkie]

Current Sumter commissioners supported by the developer voted to raise taxes and cut funding for music at the squares as reported in Villages News.
This is another example of how the current developer plans to radically transform The Villages from the vision of the founder Harold Schwartz that has been so successful.
So glad I moved!😁

[Stu from NYC]

So they abolished the tax.........What's the worst that can happen?
No "entertainment".
None of that EXTRA LOUD crap that is supposed to be entertainment.
At least I will be able to go to the squares with my friends, sit and have a drink and actually engage in a conversation without having to yell over the volume of "music", and be able to hear what is being discussed.
Fine by me.

I do believe your opinion is in a small minority.

Lots of places you can go and have a drink and conversation, not as many places to have entertainment.

[KRM0614]

If people's taxes have gone up it is because the appraised value of their home is greater.

The money for entertainment on the squares comes from the Merchants on the squares.
Wrong ! Sumter raises taxes because nothing can be done about it as a resident has no voice.

[dewilson58]

Wrong ! Sumter raises taxes because nothing can be done about it as a resident has no voice.


:1rotfl::1rotfl:

[OhioBuckeye]

Current Sumter commissioners supported by the developer voted to raise taxes and cut funding for music at the squares as reported in Villages News.
This is another example of how the current developer plans to radically transform The Villages from the vision of the founder Harold Schwartz that has been so successful.

What % are they raising taxes! TV sounds like things are getting more expensive by the week. Hopefully things will level out soon unless some govt. party gets elected, then hard telling! Sorry to bring politics into this.

[dewilson58]

What % are they raising taxes! TV sounds like things are getting more expensive by the week.


Don't fall for the Fake News posts.
The mill rate went down.

[Topspinmo]

The second question, what will the new commissioners do?


Well if they talk the talk and walk The walk? they will muddy the water for tax increase and HH apartments. But it May be already greased in with the yes puppets.

[CWGUY]

Don't fall for the Fake News posts.
The mill rate went down.

:icon_wink: If they throw enough of it at the wall they know some will stick. A lot of uninformed people will believe. Where have I seen that before? :boom:

[Nucky]

My taxes were reduced by 30%. Love Lake Country and the Old Section. Wish we had a humongous Apartment Complex built at the Hilltop Golf Course instead of Golf to keep the Taxes even lower next year. Pretty soon they will be paying us to live here!

[Marathon Man]

So glad I moved!😁

And yet here you are looking in on what is happening in The Villages. Someone who is glad they moved moves on. Someone who misses the place stays here in their mind.

[Marathon Man]

So they abolished the tax.........What's the worst that can happen?
No "entertainment".
None of that EXTRA LOUD crap that is supposed to be entertainment.
At least I will be able to go to the squares with my friends, sit and have a drink and actually engage in a conversation without having to yell over the volume of "music", and be able to hear what is being discussed.
Fine by me.

Did I just go back in time to 1975 when all the 'old folks' complained about that darned loud music.

[Northwoods]

News flash—

Big chunk of funding comes from county entertainment tax

County raised the real estate tax rates

That's correct - a big chunk of the money that pays for Entertainment at the Squares comes from the Sumter county Entertainment Tax. That tax was just eliminated by the current commissioners.
I believe entertainment is funded through 2021. But... what happens after that?

[MEbner2805]

No the square money was from the Florida tourism taxes!!!! Not the merchants here as falsely rumored and you fell for without checking facts. Taxes are in fact being reduced a bit from the 25% last year so you would be wrong again! All widely published facts!

[Buffalo Jim]

Looking forward to significant Tax Relief and Budget Control by our New and Improved Board of Sumter County Commissioners and I hope you are as well . Many promises were made and soon it will be time to deliver .

[Northwoods]

Looking forward to significant Tax Relief and Budget Control by our New and Improved Board of Sumter County Commissioners and I hope you are as well . Many promises were made and soon it will be time to deliver .

The recently elected commissioners ran on a "roll back the 25% tax increase," so they have to deliver on that. But I don't want to see things that make The Villages a fun and great place to live go away (while also increasing our property values). Entertainment in the squares is extremely popular. I hope the newly elected commissioners understand that.

[Marathon Man]

No the square money was from the Florida tourism taxes!!!! Not the merchants here as falsely rumored and you fell for without checking facts. Taxes are in fact being reduced a bit from the 25% last year so you would be wrong again! All widely published facts!

Do a little more research before you start typing next time.

[OhioBuckeye]

Don't fall for the Fake News posts.
The mill rate went down.

OK, don’t believe everything I read here. Had to ask!

[Bilyclub]

:confused:I'm confused. Didn't the EMS group (as they like to call themselves) run on the promise to STOP the entertainment funding from the County? I seem to recall the wife of one candidate talking about it on this site. :oops:

The one guy out of the three was for the County to stop the funding. The wife came on here and said he was changing his stance due to feedback from the people wanting the entertainment to continue to be funded.

[CWGUY]

The one guy out of the three was for the County to stop the funding. The wife came on here and said he was changing his stance due to feedback from the people wanting the entertainment to continue to be funded.

:icon_wink: Sounds like he feels strongly on both sides of that issue. Is his wife running also? :1rotfl:

[CWGUY]

News flash—

Big chunk of funding comes from county entertainment tax

County raised the real estate tax rates

:ohdear: Sorry that is not correct. And OBB why would you thank someone for a post that is not correct..... and you don't even live in the county in question? Here's a NEWS FLASH for the poster -
I have lived here full time since 2004 and my Millage Rate is lower now and my Sumter Co. property taxes are lower now compared to then. Thanks in part to the elected officials we've had in office. :ho: I love all the self proclaimed experts!:icon_wink:

[Stu from NYC]

:ohdear: Sorry that is not correct. And OBB why would you thank someone for a post that is not correct..... and you don't even live in the county in question? Here's a NEWS FLASH for the poster -
I have lived here full time since 2004 and my Millage Rate is lower now and my Sumter Co. property taxes are lower now compared to then. Thanks in part to the elected officials we've had in office. :ho: I love all the self proclaimed experts!:icon_wink:

Lot more people live here now than before and that would spread costs over a wider number.

[CWGUY]

Lot more people live here now than before and that would spread costs over a wider number.

:icon_wink: I was addressing the poster I quoted. The one who said " County raised the real estate tax rates" They didn't..... he was wrong. Do you disagree? Also you are correct, costs are spread out over a wider number...... I'm just thinking with bigger numbers come bigger costs too. :) And it's a fact I am paying less in County Property Taxes now compared to 2004.

[Stu from NYC]

:icon_wink: I was addressing the poster I quoted. The one who said " County raised the real estate tax rates" They didn't..... he was wrong. Do you disagree? Also you are correct, costs are spread out over a wider number...... I'm just thinking with bigger numbers come bigger costs too. :) And it's a fact I am paying less in County Property Taxes now compared to 2004.

It is a fact that last year they raised property tax by 25%. and the developer got the county to pick up costs that normally he would have been responsible for.

[Northwoods]

:icon_wink: Sounds like he feels strongly on both sides of that issue. Is his wife running also? :1rotfl:

One of the newly elected commissioners stated he would not use the county tourism tax for entertainment. After feedback from residents, he changed his position and said he would fund it. I give him credit for that.
His wife does post on other social media sites giving her opinion on "issues." I'm not sure that helps her husband...

[Gail herrmann]

Don’t the residents have a say. We pay dues so we should have a voice!

[JSR22]

Pay dues for what? Our amenity fee does not pay for the entertainment at the squares/

[CWGUY]

Don’t the residents have a say. We pay dues so we should have a voice!

:what:

[SharonW]

https://www.**************.com/2020/09/23/sumter-county-sets-hearing-on-future-of-tourism-tax-that-helps-fund-music-at-squares/

[Two Bills]

This is a bit like a 'roundabout' thread.
3000 different ways of seeing and interpreting the facts!