The Villages 25% tax increase debacle explained

[Str8line]

Hi all, I'm a resident of St. James since 2018. I remember when this went down thinking how in the heck can property taxes go up 25%?! Well I just came across the article in The Intercept entitled The Villages Crush a Grassroots Revolt, and my mind is blown. What a crazy, sad story!

[ElDiabloJoe]

Hi all, I'm a resident of St. James since 2018. I remember when this went down thinking how in the heck can property taxes go up 25%?! Well I just came across the article in The Intercept entitled The Villages Crush a Grassroots Revolt, and my mind is blown. What a crazy, sad story!

Linky? Synopsis? Maybe even just a blurb?

[Str8line]

Linky? Synopsis? Maybe even just a blurb?

I tried to include the link but was not allowed, possibly because I don't have enough posts on TOTV. If you search the headline I gave you'll find the story. It's long and in-depth but wow, what a story.

Search: The Villages Crush A Grassroots Revolt


I haven't listened to it yet but there is a podcast of the same title regarding the story too:

"In 2019, residents of The Villages, an iconic retirement community in Florida, were suddenly hit with a 25 percent hike in their property taxes. In the master-planned community of 130,000 across the state’s Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties, many residents are on fixed incomes. The tax hikes were intended to subsidize new developments south of the community, rather than cover new amenities or upgrades for current residents. The entity known locally either as “the developer” or “the family” benefited from the tax hike and could then escape paying fees associated with the expansion of their development. This week on Deconstructed, host Ryan Grim takes us to The Villages to meet residents who banded together to rollback the tax hike but who were ultimately blocked by powerful players. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the local political machine run by The Villages fought the residents, leading to one of their champions being thrown in jail."

[Bill14564]

A 2024 post referencing a 2023 article about a 2019 event. Dude! You have some catching up to do!

[Bogie Shooter]

Really old news……

[Str8line]

A 2024 post referencing a 2023 article about a 2019 event. Dude! You have some catching up to do!

I do! My primary residence is in Utah so I miss out on a lot of the juicy gossip. The story is a shocker though and I figure I'm not the only one who missed it.

[Topspinmo]

IMO the shocker was the set up and ousting of two commissioners. :throwtomatoes:

[Str8line]

IMO the shocker was the set up and ousting of two commissioners. :throwtomatoes:

Incredibly disturbing. Sounds like it's been swept under the rug. Maybe Villagers are now afraid that they will be put in prison next if they speak out.

[BlueStarAirlines]

Wait until you hear what President Nixon did and what happened to him! Buckle up!!

[Veracity]

The Intercept is an American left-wing nonprofit news organization. Quoted from Wikipedia. They have a history plagued with scandals. Go to Wikipedia and read about them and then believe what you want about their bias journalism.

[Snakster66]

Just read an article about this 'tea pot dome scandal'. Boy that Harding...what a scoundrel.

[Desiderata]

I tried to include the link but was not allowed, possibly because I don't have enough posts on TOTV. If you search the headline I gave you'll find the story. It's long and in-depth but wow, what a story.

Search: The Villages Crush A Grassroots Revolt

I haven't listened to it yet but there is a podcast of the same title regarding the story too:

"In 2019, residents of The Villages, an iconic retirement community in Florida, were suddenly hit with a 25 percent hike in their property taxes. In the master-planned community of 130,000 across the state’s Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties, many residents are on fixed incomes. The tax hikes were intended to subsidize new developments south of the community, rather than cover new amenities or upgrades for current residents. The entity known locally either as “the developer” or “the family” benefited from the tax hike and could then escape paying fees associated with the expansion of their development. This week on Deconstructed, host Ryan Grim takes us to The Villages to meet residents who banded together to rollback the tax hike but who were ultimately blocked by powerful players. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the local political machine run by The Villages fought the residents, leading to one of their champions being thrown in jail."

The story is very disturbing. I’m surprised it didn’t get national attention.

[Marmaduke]

Hilarious posts. Time stands still in the time warped Twilight Zone.

O.P. - Just rest assured, Villagers... are not afraid.

[spd2918]

I know extreme bias is at play when i read things like: "many are on fixed incomes." Most pay cash for their homes.

[J1ceasar]

When you let other people control your purse strings this is what happens. Right now Lake county has had two back-to-back large increases larger and the inflation rate

[Cliff Fr]

I know extreme bias is at play when i read things like: "many are on fixed incomes." Most pay cash for their homes.

Very high fixed incomes!

[airstreamingypsy]

I'll sum it up for you. We, in Sumter County, elected some commissioners who were not puppets of the developer. The developer wanted his own people on the commission for obvious reasons, and we wanted representation. We won, and got non developer people in. Well, that didn't last long, there were fake charges, a nice guy went to jail for months. Eventually he got out, and was exonerated. All is well back in the kingdom because the developers' puppets will be back on the commission, after the election, putting through sweet deals for the developer.

[Bill14564]

Can you show me the facts that Gov. Ron DeSantis was involved? I think it has more do to with run away price increases on everything, better know Obindenomics.

Removing the Commissioner required action by the Governor. Putting him back into office required further action by the Governor. I’m sure you can find both orders online.

[OhioBuckeye]

[QUOTE=Str8line;2375085]Hi all, I'm a resident of St. James since 2018. I remember when this went down thinking how in the heck can property taxes go up 25%?! Well I just came across the article in The Intercept entitled The Villages Crush a Grassroots Revolt, and my mind is blown. What a crazy, sad story! /QUOTE].
You know I’m reading about a lot of finger pointing but haven’t read anything that’s answering his or her question. Why are taxes possibly going up 25%?

[Aviator1211]

I used to wonder how othewise sensible Germans could be convinced to follow Hitler. But after witnessing the propoganda, misinformation, and manipulation in the recent county board primary, I now understand.

Search "pravda" on villages-new for interesting perspectives from three other Villagers (referencing The Sun, Nefflix, and death of local government)

[Aviator1211]

Removing the Commissioner required action by the Governor. Putting him back into office required further action by the Governor. I’m sure you can find both orders online.
I believe the removal was optional, the reinstatement was forced by court action and the governor delayed as long as possible. The episode significantly reduced my enthusiasm for the governor.

[airstreamingypsy]

[QUOTE=Str8line;2375085]Hi all, I'm a resident of St. James since 2018. I remember when this went down thinking how in the heck can property taxes go up 25%?! Well I just came across the article in The Intercept entitled The Villages Crush a Grassroots Revolt, and my mind is blown. What a crazy, sad story! /QUOTE].
You know I’m reading about a lot of finger pointing but haven’t read anything that’s answering his or her question. Why are taxes possibly going up 25%?

They went up, a couple of years ago.

[bowlingal]

Str8....don't believe everything that you read

[dewilson58]

Str8....don't believe everything that you read

:BigApplause:

[Topspinmo]

[QUOTE=Str8line;2375085]Hi all, I'm a resident of St. James since 2018. I remember when this went down thinking how in the heck can property taxes go up 25%?! Well I just came across the article in The Intercept entitled The Villages Crush a Grassroots Revolt, and my mind is blown. What a crazy, sad story! /QUOTE].
You know I’m reading about a lot of finger pointing but haven’t read anything that’s answering his or her question. Why are taxes possibly going up 25%?


IMO cause taxes never go down. Lake and Sumter counties have had low taxes for quite awhile. With all the development and inflation taxes has nowhere to go but up. But we can argue over how much but we don’t have control.

[tophcfa]

This is old news, but it’s easy to see how folks new to the Villages could be unaware of said events. Although the reporting news agency clearly has an agenda, the story is not off base and is a more accurate description of events than anything published in the Daily Fun. The moral of the story is that no matter how one peels back the layers of local Government, at the end of the day there is a single entity in charge. It doesn’t change the fact that the Villages is a great place to live, but it’s a little scary knowing that the usual system of checks and balances doesn’t actually exist.

[Str8line]

Str8....don't believe everything that you read


Well I don't believe everything I read. And why would you say that? Is there more to the story? I'm interested to hear what your opinion is or any facts you could share.

[Altavia]

Well I don't believe everything I read. And why would you say that? Is there more to the story? I'm interested to hear what your opinion is or any facts you could share.

Search is your friend, here's a couple to get you started.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/oren-miller-345473/?highlight=Orin

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/governor-ron-desantis-appoints-donald-wiley-sumter-county-board-county-comm-332769/

[jimjamuser]

I'll sum it up for you. We, in Sumter County, elected some commissioners who were not puppets of the developer. The developer wanted his own people on the commission for obvious reasons, and we wanted representation. We won, and got non developer people in. Well, that didn't last long, there were fake charges, a nice guy went to jail for months. Eventually he got out, and was exonerated. All is well back in the kingdom because the developers' puppets will be back on the commission, after the election, putting through sweet deals for the developer.
Kudos for winning even if only temporarily. Too bad the United States had sssoooo much promise............once upon a time.

[jimjamuser]

I believe the removal was optional, the reinstatement was forced by court action and the governor delayed as long as possible. The episode significantly reduced my enthusiasm for the governor.
I have more enthusiasm for the average snapping turtle.

[eyc234]

Do not understand why this is news at all, it is the same everywhere, those with the money have the power and make the rules. Not condoning it but it is a fact most places. The two commissioners lost their jobs because they broke the FL Sunshine Law, which they both admitted to doing. The general public can fight the money machines but it must be a large majority that find the problem worth fighting, this did not seem to be that problem. The machine also offered to work with the public to come to a mutually agreeable solution but it was shot down with no discussion.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Do not understand why this is news at all, it is the same everywhere, those with the money have the power and make the rules. Not condoning it but it is a fact most places. The two commissioners lost their jobs because they broke the FL Sunshine Law, which they both admitted to doing. The general public can fight the money machines but it must be a large majority that find the problem worth fighting, this did not seem to be that problem. The machine also offered to work with the public to come to a mutually agreeable solution but it was shot down with no discussion.

You’re not wrong on a lot of your post....

The difference here is the players.....on one side was the highest levels of politics and business vs a couple of low level, north central rural FL county commissioners. Over an administrative ‘action’....that in every other state wouldve resulted in a small fine and sanction. Remember, these guys weren’t some white collar criminals...it was some phone conversation about an animal shelter. It has been adjudicated but the lesson to all is still ever present. If they want you....the lengths they will go to get you. That was on full display here and should serve as a warning to all of us. Loss of liberty should never be trivialized!

[Michael 61]

Old news that many of us newcomers were fully aware of prior to moving here. Bottom line, The Villages is the best managed 55+ community there is. If that was not true, myself and thousands like me, would not have moved here in recent years.