20% Proposed Tax Increase !

[PeteF]

Just started to look at the proposed new tax rates that Sumter County sent out. All in all they seem painfully reasonable (some are even reduced - yeah!).

There is one exception, the proposed taxes by the Local School Board (I believe it would be Wildwood) are proposed to increase by more than 20% ... that seems like a huge increase in one year.

Does anyone know if there is there a specific reason for this large of an increase in a one year period of time?

[margaretmattson]

Just started to look at the proposed new tax rates that Sumter County sent out. All in all they seem painfully reasonable (some are even reduced - yeah!).

There is one exception, the proposed taxes by the Local School Board (I believe it would be Wildwood) are proposed to increase by more than 20% ... that seems like a huge increase in one year.

Does anyone know if there is there a specific reason for this large of an increase in a one year period of time?
The new schools, perhaps? Goldwingnut/Don Wiley will know. Looking forward to his detailed explanation.

[LuvtheVillages]

Just started to look at the proposed new tax rates that Sumter County sent out. All in all they seem painfully reasonable (some are even reduced - yeah!).

There is one exception, the proposed taxes by the Local School Board (I believe it would be Wildwood) are proposed to increase by more than 20% ... that seems like a huge increase in one year.

Does anyone know if there is there a specific reason for this large of an increase in a one year period of time?

Yes, I see that the local school board tax went up about 20%.

Look at the back side of the notice. You will see that it is the Sumter County school district, and they have a meeting on Sept 5, 5:30, in Bushnell. You can ask your questions there.

[kansasr]

Just started to look at the proposed new tax rates that Sumter County sent out. All in all they seem painfully reasonable (some are even reduced - yeah!).

There is one exception, the proposed taxes by the Local School Board (I believe it would be Wildwood) are proposed to increase by more than 20% ... that seems like a huge increase in one year.

Does anyone know if there is there a specific reason for this large of an increase in a one year period of time?

Not sure what numbers you're looking at, but on my TRIM notice, the school rate went from 4.584 to 4.987, which is an 8.8% increase.

[LuvtheVillages]

Not sure what numbers you're looking at, but on my TRIM notice, the school rate went from 4.584 to 4.987, which is an 8.8% increase.

I see you are adding together the state school rate and the local board school rate.

On my TRIM notice, the local school board rate went from 1.896 to 2.228, which is 17.5% increase.

[petsetc]

I don't recall all details, but I recall reading that school tax caps do not apply to non-resident owners. I believe it has to do with the assessed value used to compute tax. As I see it, I'm just going to pay it from afar.

[Bill14564]

Not sure what numbers you're looking at, but on my TRIM notice, the school rate went from 4.584 to 4.987, which is an 8.8% increase.

You are looking at the wrong column.

The millage last year was 4.584 as you wrote.

Due to increased assessments, the millage to bring in the same amount of money is the white column labeled "Your tax rate and taxes this year if no budget change is made." This is the rollback rate and the millage is 4.271.

The proposed millage for this year is 4.987 which is a 17% increase over the rollback rate, a 17% increase over what was needed to bring in the same amount of money last year and, for some, a 17% increase over what was paid last year.

[Bill14564]

I see you are adding together the state school rate and the local board state rate.

On my TRIM notice, the local school board rate went from 1.896 to 2.228, which is 17.5% increase.

Both those lines go to the Sumter public schools.

The state spells out a lower number for how much the county needs to collect. This might be a minimum that is required to be spent for each student or it might have to do with receiving some state funds. In any case, the 2.7590 is what the county is required by the state to collect.

The school board can also levy taxes for funding beyond what the state requires. The school board has decided they need 2.2280 for projects that are beyond what the state mandates.

The combined millage, 4.987, is what the school board has proposed that we pay in school taxes this year.

[Skunky1]

Check out how much farmland has been turned into The Villages housing that generates way more taxes than the farmland in Sumter County: Check Zillow, houses sold in the past twelve months south and west of the turnpike.

[Goldwingnut]

The new schools, perhaps? Goldwingnut/Don Wiley will know. Looking forward to his detailed explanation.

This I can't explain, the last few years The Villages has had record growth, added hundreds of millions to the tax rolls and exactly ZERO students to Sumter County.

Yes, the county did add non-over 55 residents and homes that added to the school population, but this represented <10% of the county's total residential growth.

Yes, a new school was built, it cost the school district $0.00 to build, and yes, it did add a few hundred (300?) students to the county school district - this was clearing the backlog of students waiting to get into the Charter School. But the offset in the county school tax income from the just the organic growth of The Villages from the last 3 years should have more than offset this bump "caused" by The Villages.

There has been growth in the non-charter school populations caused by the growth from the many new apartment and subdivision being built throughout the county, this too represents organic growth to the school budgets.

Between the county's growth and The Villages growth in Sumter County there's a lot of new money already coming into the school board's coffers.

To me, the numbers just don't add up to justify the proposed $140 increase in my school taxes this year. It would be nice to hear the justification.

While it might be considered bad form for me to attend another government body's meeting and ask hard questions, I would highly recommend others do so. From the TRIM notice the budget meeting on this is:

September 5, 2023 at 5:30 PM Sumter Cnty School District Board Room, 2680 W C-476, Bushnell, FL 33513 (352)793-2315

[margaretmattson]

This I can't explain, the last few years The Villages has had record growth, added hundreds of millions to the tax rolls and exactly ZERO students to Sumter County.

Yes, the county did add non-over 55 residents and homes that added to the school population, but this represented <10% of the county's total residential growth.

Yes, a new school was built, it cost the school district $0.00 to build, and yes, it did add a few hundred (300?) students to the county school district - this was clearing the backlog of students waiting to get into the Charter School. But the offset in the county school tax income from the just the organic growth of The Villages from the last 3 years should have more than offset this bump "caused" by The Villages.

There has been growth in the non-charter school populations caused by the growth from the many new apartment and subdivision being built throughout the county, this too represents organic growth to the school budgets.

Between the county's growth and The Villages growth in Sumter County there's a lot of new money already coming into the school board's coffers.

To me, the numbers just don't add up to justify the proposed $140 increase in my school taxes this year. It would be nice to hear the justification.

While it might be considered bad form for me to attend another government body's meeting and ask hard questions, I would highly recommend others do so. From the TRIM notice the budget meeting on this is:

September 5, 2023 at 5:30 PM Sumter Cnty School District Board Room, 2680 W C-476, Bushnell, FL 33513 (352)793-2315 Thanks, Don! As usual, very helpful information. You mentioned the school was built for $0 but not how involved the Developer will remain. There are yearly expenses like teacher/staff salaries, cafeteria/food, maintenance and upkeep, supplies for students and teachers, the 3 libraries need to be fully stocked, after school care, policing and cleaning up after the football games and other events, lawn maintenance, ...well, you get it! With 3 new schools I would imagine the price tag for these items is hefty. No?

I also read somewhere that the schools were leasing the buildings from the developer? ?? (not certain if this is accurate)

[PeteF]

Just started to look at the proposed new tax rates that Sumter County sent out. All in all they seem painfully reasonable (some are even reduced - yeah!).

There is one exception, the proposed taxes by the Local School Board (I believe it would be Wildwood) are proposed to increase by more than 20% ... that seems like a huge increase in one year.

Does anyone know if there is there a specific reason for this large of an increase in a one year period of time?

More specifically, I should have indicated that my local school tax (Sumter County Schools) went up 20%. The 20% tax increase is from two increases:
My Taxable Value went up 1%
My Tax Rate increase 20%

[Daddymac]

Now add this to what the fire department wants. = $600.00.
Bend over folks, its coming to a village near you !!!