Everglades Parking lot Filled with trucks

[Northerner52]

What was going on at Everglades last night. The entire parking lot was filled with huge dump trucks, cement mixers and cars.

[dewilson58]

Increase Impact Fee and reverse 25% county real estate tax increase.


And how did that go??? = :1rotfl:

[John41]

What was going on at Everglades last night. The entire parking lot was filled with huge dump trucks, cement mixers and cars.

Dump truck club meeting

[Marathon Man]

Increase Impact Fee and reverse 25% county real estate tax increase.


And how did that go??? = :1rotfl:

Yep. How did that go indeed.

[Bogie Shooter]

What was going on at Everglades last night. The entire parking lot was filled with huge dump trucks, cement mixers and cars.

See front page todays Daily Sun.

[Get real]

What was going on at Everglades last night. The entire parking lot was filled with huge dump trucks, cement mixers and cars.

Planned filling the parking lot with Developer contractors so that residents could not get it. Flash mob at its finest. Increase the fees on the Developer and not on the contractors...problem solved. Developer would never allow that. :bigbow:

[peachpit]

What was going on at Everglades last night. The entire parking lot was filled with huge dump trucks, cement mixers and cars.

Wow, big trucks could have an impact on Everglades parking lot. Where should the residents send a check to cover the damage?

[PugMom]

Increase Impact Fee and reverse 25% county real estate tax increase.


And how did that go??? = :1rotfl:

sounds like they postponed the vote--pushed it down the road apiece.

[PugMom]

Planned filling the parking lot with Developer contractors so that residents could not get it. Flash mob at its finest. Increase the fees on the Developer and not on the contractors...problem solved. Developer would never allow that. :bigbow:

i'm not sure that's true. the place is HUGE & most would prob use golf cart. there's parking all the way down near edna's & beyond

[shut the front door]

Planned filling the parking lot with Developer contractors so that residents could not get it. Flash mob at its finest. Increase the fees on the Developer and not on the contractors...problem solved. Developer would never allow that. :bigbow:

Ed Zachary.

[John41]

What was going on at Everglades last night. The entire parking lot was filled with huge dump trucks, cement mixers and cars.

Time to show support for the NEW commissioners fulfilling their promise to roll back the 25% tax increase passed by the developers puppets and overwhelming rejected by residents. More developer dirty tricks organizing this fake contractor protest. This is a very scary intimidation and show of force tactic by the developer taking over residents recreation facilities. The Sumter sheriff needs to protect the residents rights.

[tophcfa]

See front page todays Daily Sun.

That was both the longest and most one sided piece I ever read in the Daily Sun.

[Marathon Man]

Time to show support for the NEW commissioners fulfilling their promise to roll back the 25% tax increase passed by the developers puppets and overwhelming rejected by residents. More developer dirty tricks organizing this fake contractor protest. This is a very scary intimidation and show of force tactic by the developer taking over residents recreation facilities. The Sumter sheriff needs to protect the residents rights.

I happened to be at Everglades. I spoke with some of those who showed up in their trucks. There were working men who are concerned about job cuts if future developement slows down. It appears that their words were listened to and considered.

This thinking that "The Developer" makes all things evil happen gets a little silly at times.

Here is another thing to think about. Sumter county is not just residents of The Villages. It would be extremely selfish of us to ignore the needs of the many working people who want to feed their families.

[Bill14564]

That was both the longest and most one sided piece I ever read in the Daily Sun.

Agree. I was amazed at how long that article was.

The article states developers are only required to pay 40% of the maximum impact fee allowed by law. Did that change when the 25% tax increase was put into place or has it always been that low.

Very misleading headline implying that the Commissioners are considering a tax increase has already confused a number of people.

[John41]

I happened to be at Everglades. I spoke with some of those who showed up in their trucks. There were working men who are concerned about job cuts if future developement slows down. It appears that their words were listened to and considered.

This thinking that "The Developer" makes all things evil happen gets a little silly at times.

Here is another thing to think about. Sumter county is not just residents of The Villages. It would be extremely selfish of us to ignore the needs of the many working people who want to feed their families.

It has the developer's fingerprints all over it. Remember when he wanted a zoning change for Bob Evans restaurant and sent threatening letters to residents if they opposed him. One of the non Villages newspapers needs to get involved.

[Justus]

I happened to be at Everglades. I spoke with some of those who showed up in their trucks. There were working men who are concerned about job cuts if future developement slows down. It appears that their words were listened to and considered.

This thinking that "The Developer" makes all things evil happen gets a little silly at times.

Here is another thing to think about. Sumter county is not just residents of The Villages. It would be extremely selfish of us to ignore the needs of the many working people who want to feed their families.

Thank you!

[CWGUY]

Time to show support for the NEW commissioners fulfilling their promise to roll back the 25% tax increase passed by the developers puppets and overwhelming rejected by residents. More developer dirty tricks organizing this fake contractor protest. This is a very scary intimidation and show of force tactic by the developer taking over residents recreation facilities. The Sumter sheriff needs to protect the residents rights.

:ohdear: Sorry..... wrong. That rec. center is owned by The Developer not the residents or The District. They PAID $135,000 in property taxes on that bldg. in 2020. As a County resident, I think it's nice they let the County use it. The info. is out there for anyone who wants to get the facts. :oops:

[dewilson58]

sounds like they postponed the vote--pushed it down the road apiece.
They did..............the "rollback candidates" rolled over from their promises. :ohdear:

[JoMar]

The reality of what will happen when development slows down is starting to sink in. If only everything was as simple as voters sometimes think it should be. We constantly complain about health care and empty stores, that COSTCO or TJ's (and others) won't build here yet we want to push higher costs on them by charging higher impact fees which are passed on which changes their business plan. When costs become too high, business will pass on by or leave, look at the States up north that are losing business to more friendly States. Make Sumter a non friendly business location and they will move on. Revenue vs Cost, always the decider.

[camelbob]

They did..............the "rollback candidates" rolled over from their promises. :ohdear:

Issues tabled until July. Let's see what happens then. If nothing----time to find replacements for the EMS individuals in the next election. Back peddling?

[tophcfa]

Agree. I was amazed at how long that article was.

The article states developers are only required to pay 40% of the maximum impact fee allowed by law. Did that change when the 25% tax increase was put into place or has it always been that low.

Very misleading headline implying that the Commissioners are considering a tax increase has already confused a number of people.

You are correct, the headline of the article in the Daily Sun was very misleading. The commissioners are not proposing a tax increase, they are proposing that the impact fees necessary because of new development be paid by others besides existing residents of the county. It is easy to see the confusion the misleading headline would cause to those who have not been following the situation.

[Number 10 GI]

They did..............the "rollback candidates" rolled over from their promises. :ohdear:

Just doing what politicians do.

[Bogie Shooter]

Issues tabled until July. Let's see what happens then. If nothing----time to find replacements for the EMS individuals in the next election. Back peddling?

This can happen when second stringers take over.

[John41]

sounds like they postponed the vote--pushed it down the road apiece.

They still plan to eliminate the 25% tax increase just trying to avoid confrontation.

[John41]

I happened to be at Everglades. I spoke with some of those who showed up in their trucks. There were working men who are concerned about job cuts if future developement slows down. It appears that their words were listened to and considered.

This thinking that "The Developer" makes all things evil happen gets a little silly at times.

Here is another thing to think about. Sumter county is not just residents of The Villages. It would be extremely selfish of us to ignore the needs of the many working people who want to feed their families.

It would be extremely selfish of these workers to force senior citizens on FIXED incomes to pay INCREASED taxes. And these increased taxes might keep people from buying as The Villages becomes unaffordable. Then these workers would lose their jobs.

Don't conservative economists say "Cut taxes to spur growth?"

[kaniess]

If you raise taxes on something you get less of it. The construction workers know that if the impact fees are drastically raised there will be fewer houses, stores and restaurants built in Sumter County. Thus fewer jobs and lower pay for workers. I'm pleased that they are standing up for their jobs and their families.

[DrBrutyle109]

What was going on at Everglades last night. The entire parking lot was filled with huge dump trucks, cement mixers and cars.
That happens a lot when there is construction going on close by.

[claylayer]

How much money are we talking about? We bought a home for $350,000.00. How much more does this 25% increase cost per year to fuel all of this new growth? Just moved here .

[coconutmama]

It has the developer's fingerprints all over it. Remember when he wanted a zoning change for Bob Evans restaurant and sent threatening letters to residents if they opposed him. One of the non Villages newspapers needs to get involved.

Agree that having the trucks in the parking lot was a bully approach by the developer & his cronies. The workers need support, which is why I’m glad the $15/hr increase will become effective eventually. But I believe the workers were sold a bill of goods to show up in that manner.

Give the new commissioners a chance. The tax increase was totally unfair to ALL Sumter tax payers, this includes workers here & home owners in lower Sumter who are nowhere near The Villages & still had to pay the increase

[Bill14564]

If you raise taxes on something you get less of it. The construction workers know that if the impact fees are drastically raised there will be fewer houses, stores and restaurants built in Sumter County. Thus fewer jobs and lower pay for workers. I'm pleased that they are standing up for their jobs and their families.

I imagine the workers were instructed to go to the meeting by their companies. The vehicles filling the parking lot are not commuter vehicles. I have to believe if any employee chose on their own to take such a company vehicle to an after-hours meeting they would soon find themselves to be an ex-employee. The workers certainly may feel the need to speak about the impact fees but I don't believe for a minute that this wasn't a coordinated demonstration.

[Bill14564]

How much money are we talking about? We bought a home for $350,000.00. How much more does this 25% increase cost per year to fuel all of this new growth? Just moved here .

We just moved here so I'm still playing catch-up but from what I have found so far:

- The increase in fees is much more than 25%. Currently a developer is assessed 40% of the maximum allowable impact fee. One proposal is to nearly double that to 75% and another is to go even further and raise it to the full 100%.

- Inside The Villages (TV) the current assessment for a single-family home is about $950. Under the largest proposal, that assessment would go up to about $2,500. I could have paid another $1,600 for my home and not even noticed it.

- The increased fees affect both those inside and outside TV. We are mostly all pretty fortunate inside TV; we are mostly retired and chose to move here knowing what the costs were. Not everyone outside TV can say that.

- Outside TV the current assessment for a single-family home is about $2,500. Under the largest proposal, that assessment would go up to about $6,350. I probably would have noticed a $4,000 increase.

- A fast-food restaurant is assessed something close to $29,000 per 1,000 square feet. A Chik-fil-A must be at least 2,000 square feet so it would be assessed at least $58,000. Under the largest proposal, that assessment would go up to about $145,000. I'm absolutely sure someone would notice that additional $85,000!

(Source of numbers: Sumter County Road Impact Fee Schedule (https://www.sumtercountyfl.gov/672/Impact-Fees) 10/1/2020)

It would be easy to accept a $1,600 increase on my home but it's probably not so easy for someone outside TV to handle an additional $4,000 and it could be a deal-breaker to ask a fast-food restaurant to pay an additional $85,000 before the first $3 sandwich was sold.

Is it right to view TV as a cash cow and ask everyone of the homeowners to pay $350/year to reduce the fees on new construction? That's one of the items the new Commissioners ran against so it appears that homeowners don't think so. if my current understanding of the situation is correct (the $85,000 increase) then we may find that it isn't possible to have our cake and eat it too.

Someone who has studied this more may be able to provide better insight.

[dewilson58]

We just moved here so I'm still playing catch-up but from what I have found so far:- The increase in fees is much more than 25%. Currently a developer is assessed 40% of the maximum allowable impact fee. One proposal is to nearly double that to 75% and another is to go even further and raise it to the full 100%.- Inside The Villages (TV) the current assessment for a single-family home is about $950. Under the largest proposal, that assessment would go up to about $2,500. I could have paid another $1,600 for my home and not even noticed it.
- The increased fees affect both those inside and outside TV. We are mostly all pretty fortunate inside TV; we are mostly retired and chose to move here knowing what the costs were. Not everyone outside TV can say that.
- Outside TV the current assessment for a single-family home is about $2,500. Under the largest proposal, that assessment would go up to about $6,350. I probably would have noticed a $4,000 increase.
- A fast-food restaurant is assessed something close to $29,000 per 1,000 square feet. A Chik-fil-A must be at least 2,000 square feet so it would be assessed at least $58,000. Under the largest proposal, that assessment would go up to about $145,000. I'm absolutely sure someone would notice that additional $85,000!
(Source of numbers: Sumter County Road Impact Fee Schedule (https://www.sumtercountyfl.gov/672/Impact-Fees) 10/1/2020)It would be easy to accept a $1,600 increase on my home but it's probably not so easy for someone outside TV to handle an additional $4,000 and it could be a deal-breaker to ask a fast-food restaurant to pay an additional $85,000 before the first $3 sandwich was sold.Is it right to view TV as a cash cow and ask everyone of the homeowners to pay $350/year to reduce the fees on new construction? That's one of the items the new Commissioners ran against so it appears that homeowners don't think so. if my current understanding of the situation is correct (the $85,000 increase) then we may find that it isn't possible to have our cake and eat it too. Someone who has studied this more may be able to provide better insight.


Welcome to TV!!!!!

Couple more soundbites to chew on.........:
The 25% increase in County taxes generated $50,000,000.
The new County commissioners ran on, "Reverse the 25% increase & make TV pay thru increased Impact Fees"
Doing the math: $50mil / 3,000 new homes = $16,000 increase/house



So the campaign promise will create a new Impact Fee of ~$17,000 per new house constructed.

And voters fell for this. :1rotfl:

[richs631]

:ohdear: Sorry..... wrong. That rec. center is owned by The Developer not the residents or The District. They PAID $135,000 in property taxes on that bldg. in 2020. As a County resident, I think it's nice they let the County use it. The info. is out there for anyone who wants to get the facts. :oops:

You may have go info online but let’s use a little common sense. $135,000 in property taxes, I doubt that.

[Larchap49]

I happened to be at Everglades. I spoke with some of those who showed up in their trucks. There were working men who are concerned about job cuts if future developement slows down. It appears that their words were listened to and considered.

This thinking that "The Developer" makes all things evil happen gets a little silly at times.

Here is another thing to think about. Sumter county is not just residents of The Villages. It would be extremely selfish of us to ignore the needs of the many working people who want to feed their families.

Development will slow down regardless. Especially when the inevitable inflation and recession from all the money printing kicks in, and believe me it will kick in. Things change and TV is not immune to that. The future of this country is not bright so buckle up and hold on.

[Nick B]

The good ol boys will vote against their best interest every time. As we have seen

[richs631]

The reality of what will happen when development slows down is starting to sink in. If only everything was as simple as voters sometimes think it should be. We constantly complain about health care and empty stores, that COSTCO or TJ's (and others) won't build here yet we want to push higher costs on them by charging higher impact fees which are passed on which changes their business plan. When costs become too high, business will pass on by or leave, look at the States up north that are losing business to more friendly States. Make Sumter a non friendly business location and they will move on. Revenue vs Cost, always the decider.

Be careful what you wish for. Making Sumter a non business friendly county is a double edge sword. No money from business = more money from home owners

[dewilson58]

You may have go info online but let’s use a little common sense. $135,000 in property taxes, I doubt that.
:ohdear: Look up the parcel................the tax bill IS $135k.
Facts are better than a LITTLE common sense.
:1rotfl:

[Bill14564]

How much money are we talking about? We bought a home for $350,000.00. How much more does this 25% increase cost per year to fuel all of this new growth? Just moved here .

I wrote a lot in my earlier post but didn't answer the question you asked.

For the last few years the millage rates have been:
5.5900
5.5200
5.3365
6.7000 (the increase of 25%)
6.4390 (a decrease of 4%)

If you take 5.3365 as the starting point then the increase was 1.3635 per thousand dollars of assessed value. For a $350,000 home the increase would be $477 in additional taxes.

[merrymini]

I love voting people in to fix a problem and then for them to become the problem.

[budfor]

What was going on at Everglades last night. The entire parking lot was filled with huge dump trucks, cement mixers and cars.
Getting ready to fill the new sinkholes.

[tophcfa]

They did..............the "rollback candidates" rolled over from their promises. :ohdear:

Unlike the former commissioners, at least the new ones actually acknowledged the presence of, and listened to the concerns of, those opposing a controversial issue.

[biker1]

Maybe not, it could be less. Is the house homesteaded? If so, take $50K off before multiplying by the millage rate. There could be some other reductions also.

I wrote a lot in my earlier post but didn't answer the question you asked.

For the last few years the millage rates have been:
5.5900
5.5200
5.3365
6.7000 (the increase of 25%)
6.4390 (a decrease of 4%)

If you take 5.3365 as the starting point then the increase was 1.3635 per thousand dollars of assessed value. For a $350,000 home the increase would be $477 in additional taxes.

[Stu from NYC]

Anyone notice that the developers newspaper aka the Village Sun had about the most one sided article in history against this tax increase.

Guess they do not need an editorial page just make "news articles" tell you how they feel.

[Aloha1]

Issues tabled until July. Let's see what happens then. If nothing----time to find replacements for the EMS individuals in the next election. Back peddling?

Time for a recall. People are now waking up to reality.

[Aloha1]

You are correct, the headline of the article in the Daily Sun was very misleading. The commissioners are not proposing a tax increase, they are proposing that the impact fees necessary because of new development be paid by others besides existing residents of the county. It is easy to see the confusion the misleading headline would cause to those who have not been following the situation.

A rose by any other name is still a rose.

[Aloha1]

It would be extremely selfish of these workers to force senior citizens on FIXED incomes to pay INCREASED taxes. And these increased taxes might keep people from buying as The Villages becomes unaffordable. Then these workers would lose their jobs.

Don't conservative economists say "Cut taxes to spur growth?"

What possible notion gave you the idea that taxes would stay fixed forever?? Not in this universe for sure. FACT: Sumter residents have had below average increases for years compared to Marion and Lake. Now reality is catching up and you want to destroy all of TV just because you're unhappy??

Nobody LIKES taxes but they are a necessary evil to get the civilization we enjoy.

[EviesGP]

Let me get this straight...??? TWO long TDS pages of commentary, ALL one-sided, about what a 'tax increase' will do to the county and growth(development)??? Where were all those commentaries when the 25% tax increase was jammed thru??? And, then, the parking lot was PRE-filled with company trucks(all contractors that work on new homes)??? Yeah...nothing to see here!

[Bill14564]

What possible notion gave you the idea that taxes would stay fixed forever?? Not in this universe for sure. FACT: Sumter residents have had below average increases for years compared to Marion and Lake. Now reality is catching up and you want to destroy all of TV just because you're unhappy??

Nobody LIKES taxes but they are a necessary evil to get the civilization we enjoy.

Just how will this issue, regardless of how it turns out, "destroy all of TV?" Do I need additional insurance on my house to protect against this destruction? Do I need to find an alternative route out of my neighborhood to avoid the road that will be destroyed? Will I need to find a third Publix or a second Winn-Dixie in case the three stores I shop at are destroyed?

Just what will be the destruction in TV if developers (not THE Developer, but all developers) pay a larger portion of the impact fee?

[Stu from NYC]

Let me get this straight...??? TWO long TDS pages of commentary, ALL one-sided, about what a 'tax increase' will do to the county and growth(development)??? Where were all those commentaries when the 25% tax increase was jammed thru??? And, then, the parking lot was PRE-filled with company trucks(all contractors that work on new homes)??? Yeah...nothing to see here!

When the developer owns the paper he gets to dictate what is in it.

Silly me has this idea that they should print news in news column and their opinion in the editorial page.

But when their is no editorial page guess they feel it is ok to mix the two.

[kappy]

We can go back and forth on this issue for months. The three Commissioners ran on a platform of rolling back the 25% tax increase all homeowners received in 2019. That increase applies to every year that you own that home and/or any other home you purchase in TV. Remember, impact fees are a one time charge; the tax increase is paid EVERY year. The newspaper articles are spreading fear that the increase in impact fees along with a roll back of the 25% tax increase will be detrimental to Sumter County. Since the developers total increase per home is only a one time charge of $1,458, I don’t believe that the number of homes sold each year will change. And, as all the new homes sold will bring in new tax monies, our taxes should continue to decline annually.

The fear tactics being claimed in the paper are just that. There is no proof that increasing the impact fees will hurt Sumter County. These are assumptions and you know what they say about people who assume!

You can email the EMS team and tell them not to wait. The time is now and they have the ability. The email addresses are;

craig.estep@sumtercountyfl.gov
oren.miller@sumtercountyfl.gov and
gary.search@sumtercountyfl.gov.

[tophcfa]

Anyone notice that the developers newspaper aka the Village Sun had about the most one sided article in history against this tax increase.

Guess they do not need an editorial page just make "news articles" tell you how they feel.

I noticed it two days in a row, both times starting on the front page. Not a single mention of the effects on existing residents on a fixed income subsidizing new development impact fees. Extremely one sided arguments.

[tophcfa]

A rose by any other name is still a rose.

Very true, and you can put lipstick on a pig, but it will still be a pig.

[Stu from NYC]

I noticed it two days in a row, both times starting on the front page. Not a single mention of the effects on existing residents on a fixed income subsidizing new development impact fees. Extremely one sided arguments.

And of course they only quoted people who were against the tax increase.

Would imagine when they hire reporters they have to swear allegiance to the developer and all he stands for.

[Northwoods]

I love voting people in to fix a problem and then for them to become the problem.

I'm sorry. But I laughed out loud when I read this/

[CWGUY]

:ohdear: Sorry..... wrong. That rec. center is owned by The Developer not the residents or The District. They PAID $135,000 in property taxes on that bldg. in 2020. As a County resident, I think it's nice they let the County use it. The info. is out there for anyone who wants to get the facts. :oops:

Like Sgt. Friday used to say "Just the facts"


You may have go info online but let’s use a little common sense. $135,000 in property taxes, I doubt that.

Look it up..... it's public information. I pulled up the the tax bill, it was marked PAID. $134,947.05 I think it was. "A little common sense" as you call it would dictate you look it up before you insinuate I don't have common sense.

:ohdear: Look up the parcel................the tax bill IS $135k.
Facts are better than a LITTLE common sense.
:1rotfl:

Thank you..... evidently you know how to look up facts too. Unfortunately a lot of posters don't.
:coolsmiley:

[Aloha1]

Just how will this issue, regardless of how it turns out, "destroy all of TV?" Do I need additional insurance on my house to protect against this destruction? Do I need to find an alternative route out of my neighborhood to avoid the road that will be destroyed? Will I need to find a third Publix or a second Winn-Dixie in case the three stores I shop at are destroyed?

Just what will be the destruction in TV if developers (not THE Developer, but all developers) pay a larger portion of the impact fee?

How about no new medical complex, no housing for workers which means businesses closing, higher pricing for homes here which means more difficulty selling and potentially buying. And certainly no new stores or restaurants. In other words, stagnation.

[Stu from NYC]

How about no new medical complex, no housing for workers which means businesses closing, higher pricing for homes here which means more difficulty selling and potentially buying. And certainly no new stores or restaurants. In other work, stagnation.

Or a compromise makes all sides more or less happy and life goes on

[Aloha1]

So, workers, small business owners, medical personnel, and non villages Sumter residents show up and overwhelmingly voice their objections in clear and coherent manner. Yet two of these newbies, with limited or no government experience , pig headedly with blinders firmly affixed, went ahead and ignored all the comments and attempted to ram through their ill thought out tax increase. Wasn't one of their "issues" the lack of listening by the Commission?

Perhaps they should review some old but wise adages like, "The Law of Unintended Consequences", "Be Careful of What You Wish For", or "What Goes Around, Comes Around".

[Aloha1]

Or a compromise makes all sides more or less happy and life goes on

I agree, Stu, but it does not appear that is possible with these newbies other than Estep. He at least had the sense to slow down and review. I doubt the other two will even bother to take a step back and rethink because they are agenda driven.

[Stu from NYC]

I agree, Stu, but it does not appear that is possible with these newbies other than Estep. He at least had the sense to slow down and review. I doubt the other two will even bother to take a step back and rethink because they are agenda driven.

Patience, I think they will come to a meeting of the minds.

I do not know if the tax increase will drive away all new business but think that if Sumter does not help grow the business the other two counties will.