Why are the taxpayers, and not the developer, paying for The Villages expansion?
 

I am going to start with a riddle: How can 5 guys screw 125,000 people--- Now I mean screw financially, not physically?

The answer to the riddle: Five guys can do this by getting elected to the Sumter County Board of Commissioners, with the support of the Developer and then financially screwing everybody in Sumter County-- except the Developer and the Developer's cronies. More specifically, these 5 guys are screwing Sumter County taxpayers by giving the Developer a sweetheart deal on IMPACT FEES, thereby offloading the costs of The Villages expansion on to Sumter County taxpayers and saving the Developer an incredible amount of money. That is what we saw happening on the evening of September 25 when the Developer toadies serving as County Commissioners screwed the Sumter County taxpayers with a 25% tax increase in order to benefit the Commissioners' patron, the Developer.

Remember the Developer put the County Commissioners in office via his “One Sumter” 2004 legislation; his campaign contributions; his propaganda organ, The Villages Daily Sun; and his promotion of directors and presidents from his front organization, the so-called Villages Homeowners Advocates (the VHA), to political office.

Until recently, I didn't know what an impact fee was. Now I do--no thanks to the September 24th front-page article in The Developer' Daily Sun, which purported to explain property taxes, but never mentions impact fees. According to Sumter County's own website: “An impact fee is a one time charge applied to new construction. The purpose of the fee is to fund capital projects for roads (such as construction, land acquisition, [sic]). Impact fees can be charges for parks, schools, jails, ambulances and other infrastructure needs that may occur due to new development.” An impact fee is paid by the builder of a new house when he gets his building permit.

If you are on a County Commission, and you want to do a favor for the guy who put you in office and that guy is a big developer, you set a REAL LOW impact fee. To put what's going on here in perspective, let's look at Collier County. In Collier County, where the Developer doesn't have the County Commissioners in his pocket, the builder of a house in a retirement community pays an impact fee of about $20,000 per house.

In Sumter County, the Developer pays an impact fee of $901 per house. I repeat $901 or about $19,000 per house less than he would pay if he built in Collier County. Stated differently the Developer is paying an impact fee of less than 5% of what he would pay in Collier County.

This sweetheart deal in Sumter County has been in place for years. Who has been making up for the lost county revenue, i.e., who has been making a gift to the Developer? We have, through higher county taxes.

Now the chickens have now REALLY come home to roost. The Villages is massively expanding, which is necessitating a corresponding massive expansion in roads and other infrastructure. 60,000 new houses times $19,000 per house (i.e., the difference between the Sumter County and Collier County impact-fee rates) means that the Developer will be paying impact fees of One Billion, One Hundred Forty Million Dollars less than he would pay in Collier County. BUT rather than increasing the Developer's low impact fees to cover the cost of the infrastructure expansion, the County Commissioners are increasing OUR taxes by 25%. (Incidentally, the One Billion, One Hundred Forty Million Dollar figure doesn't include the amount of the gift that the Developer has already received with respect to houses already built.) The Developer is certainly getting a good return on his campaign contributions-- at our expense.

The Daily Sun cites $348 as a typical tax increase. So remember, when you pay your taxes, you are essentially writing a check to the Developer for $348 (or whatever your actual tax increase is.)

Please mark your 2020 calendars on August 18 (the date of the Republican primary) and on November 3 (the date of the general election) as follows: VOTE OUT BUTLER, BURGESS, AND PRINTZ.

LET'S CLEAN UP SUMTER COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Thank you for researching impact fee variance in Florida counties and precisely summarizing the situation. Holy cow! It appears to me to be somewhat reminiscent of this fictional but well known Hazzard County operation. Boss Hogg - Wikipedia

This smells of the POA.

My tax bill went up 28.4% from last year not including maintenance and bond.

You can thank the County Commissioners for that. The current tax increase is incredible.

My name is Scott Fenstermaker. What is yours?

I am not an officer or director of the POA, although I would hope that the POA would act to try to clean up Sumter County government by trying to replace the Developer's toadies on the Commission.

These toadies are screwing the Sumter County residents with a 25% tax increase to cover the cost of The Villages expansion--instead of increasing the Developer's incredibly low impact fee.

The VHA will certainly do nothing in this regard.

My very first thought.

Why? Because it is well thought out and presented in a factual manner?

“Ignorance kills, knowledge never does.”
If the above information is incorrect, I would like to know. Exact details, please.

Here is the Impact Fee Schedule for Lake County - check the fee for the 'Active Adult' category - nothing like the fee mentioned by the OP here:
Residential Impact Fee Schedule

Cannot find an 'Active Adult' category for Marion County and only a Transportation Impact fee:
http://www.ocalafl.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=4256

Link for Sumter County fee schedule [Adobe pdf] can be found here:
Road Impact Fee Schedules | Sumter County, FL - Official Website

I think the OP's stats are apples and oranges in comparison to the Villages other 2 counties. But I have been known to be incorrect! lol

Thank you, I see $901 fee mentioned in OP’s post for Sumter county, can you also give the equivalent information on Collier county for comparison as above?

Actually, there are no other apples to compare because the upcoming explosive growth of The Villages is unique.

I did not say that the Developer's impact fee should be $20,000 like Collier County's, but it should be adequate to cover the impact of the massive expansion of The Villages--whatever that number is.

The basic point here is simple, and you are missing it if you get bogged down in comparisons: The Commissioners were faced with the choice of putting the cost of the impact of infrastructure expansion either (a) on their patron, the Developer, through higher impact fees OR (b) on us through higher taxes. They chose the latter.

Why do you think they did that?

I (along with a total of probably 1,300 residents) was at the two Commissioners' meetings where public comments were listened to, and ignored by, the Commissioners. There were people there from less affluent areas of the County, near tears, explaining that they will be faced with the choice of paying their taxes or paying for their medicine.

If you took a poll of Sumter County residents and asked whether the expanded infrastructure should be paid for by higher taxes on them or higher impact fees on The Developer, I would wager that at least 95% would say through higher impact fees.

So, why did our representatives vote for higher taxes????

Because they could?

One fact can not be ignored. If the the new Villages South development south of 44 never happened, and the area was still open space, there would be no need to raise everyones taxes to build connecting infrastructure. And exactly who is financially benefiting form the new development? Not the people paying the 25% tax increase!

My tax bill went up 28% over the last 15 years and is still less than what I was paying in Pa. The available and new amenities are growing and access to new shopping and eating facilities will be available as growth continues. Those that believe growth should be halted have the "I got mine so stop" and frankly have no place here IMO. Anyone who moved here and doesn't believe there would be increases in taxes or other expenses have their head buried. And I'm really getting tired of everything being the Developes fault....where did you come from where the developers had responsibility for roads and highways.....everywhere I have lived it was always the responsibility of the town (Wildwood is responsible for south of 44) or the County (whch has responsibility for north of 44 ...except Villas) or the State. And when you vote out the Commissioners what do you expect the ones you vote in to do when faced with the same needs? Let the place deteriorate? If you have all the answers go jump in and see what you can do as an elected official...or is it just easer to annomously complain with no accountability.....end of rant.

I am not anonymously complaining. My name is listed above, and yours?

The point is that infrastructure expansion like we are experiencing is normally paid for by the developer responsible for it. Here the Developer's toadies on the Commission have not increased the preexisting impact fee (already a sweetheart rate) by 1 cent to cover it. They have increased taxes instead.

Don't you see what is going on or are you somehow connected with the Developer?

What you were paying in PA has nothing to do with taxes here. I really wish people would stop with those strawman arguments.

To say that the OP's post smacks of the POA shows little thought processing. It redirects the fact that we are getting a 25% tax increase in one year which coincides with the explosive growth south of 44. It should be food for thought.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Big government, small government, all want more money. They don't earn it, they just take what they need/want. Why did they even have local meetings, it was a done deal.

I guess I have to wonder. Of course I read it on the internet so it must be true.

At best without supporting documentation it is an opinion. I freely admit that I am new here and don't know what is going on, but I do know that there are almost always two sides to every argument. And it is very easy to look for shady reasons for something like a tax increase.

Apart from marking your calendar for almost a year from now, I didn't read anywhere what you are going to do about this, Advogado?

Thankfully we had moved from "Sumter County" 2 years ago.
In our 8 years there our R E Taxes went down appropriately 8 to 10%.

Why hasn't any group in "The Villages" or Resident in Sumter County contact the Attorney General about this unrepresented R E Tax restructure to benefit the "Morse Money Hungry Mogul's"?
The 5 Board members have been planted on the Board by the "Morse Money Hungry Mogul's".

Residents are being Screwed by the "Morse Money Hungry Mogul's".
Since when do Tax payers foot the bill for any Builders impact fees?
This is unheard of in any County or State in the "United States of America".

When Gary Morse was in control this was never was even a consideration.
He made it Affordable for new purchasers and residents in Sumter County.
Actually till Nov. 2018 the Sumter County R E Taxes were lowered for over 15 continuous years.
Now live with the GREED of the "Morse Money Hungry Mogul's" (Family).

How much money do they actually need?
Look up the Wealth of the Morse Family or Individually as I found this today:
"H. Gary Morse net worth: H. Gary Morse is an American entrepreneur who has a net worth of $2.5 billion. H. Gary Morse is the son of Michigan-born developer, Harold Schwartz".

Clean up "Sumter County Government" and the "Morse Money Hungry Mogul's" (Such a Shame)

One point that everyone seems to be overlooking, or maybe not, is that all developer's costs are passed on to the buyers of the development. Impact fees, infrastructure costs, etc are in one way or another passed on to each buyer of each new house/home in the new development. Most of the time is it reflected in the higher cost of the homes and lots. In fewer cases it is passed on as a bond. Of course if all these costs were included in the price of the new homes and villas, it might make them too costly for buyers. That would slow down new home sales.

Your point is very well taken and certainly not overlooked. That is why many existing homeowners are outraged. As you stated, "impact fees, infrastructure costs, etc are passed on to each buyer of each new house/home in the new development." You also stated that "if all these costs were included in the price of new homes and villas, it might make them too costly for buyers. That would slow down new home sales."

What you said is true, which is that impact fees for new development infrastructure are tryically paid by the buyers of the new homes in the development, because the developers pass the impact fees through in the price of the homes. The outrage here is that the developers effectively forced the impact fees to be paid by existing homeowners, allowing them to sell new homes cheaper and faster and make more money. So all Sumter county homeowners living north of 44 are subsidizing the developers profits. Personally, coming from someone with limited means, I don't particularly like subsidizing the profits of billionaires : (.

Been reading anti developer from the same source for many years.

Everything said in my post is easily verifiable.

Are you a lawyer?

Basic economics: Competition prevents the Developer from simply passing all his increased costs on to the buyers of new houses. The Developer would have to absorb some or all of them. This is why he has had his toadies on the County Commission raise our taxes rather than his impact fees.

If it isn't clear to you, I am going to do what I can to replace the present County Commissioners with ones who are honest, competent, and independent of the Developer. Can I count on your support in this endeavor?

In real life, I was. Were you a developer? :)

:bigbow:

To those who disagree with the OP (Avocado). Point out where he is wrong. What facts is he presenting that are incorrect?

I fact checked, but if I made any mistakes, I would be glad to be educated. Frankly, some of the comments, like attacks on the POA, are, at best, irrelevant.

Sometimes a persons rose colored glasses are too dark a tint!
I think that to believe the developers have not influenced elected officials
is their favor is quite naive!

By the way, I am a proud dues paying member of the POA. Everyone interested in an unvarnished, comprehensive and unbiased oversight of what should be important to residents of TV should join. Having said that, I am very pro developer for their vision and execution of the best retirement community in the world, however they are not above reproach.

You said you left...…………………………..

I’m not anti developer, but the developers seem to be able to take care of themselves quite well.
I would like like officials in office that represent the home owning constituents that elected them!
So, remember to vote!

Did you buy here this Spring? I am glad you are a landowner. It really is a wonderful place to live and I really think a lot of it is due to the decisions made by the developer. We have found it so for a dozen years. But, if we found evidence that was not so, we would sell and leave.

To answer your question: At the County Commissioner level, political party should not matter.

I am a moderate Republican and would prefer to see honest, competent, independent Republican Commissioners, but party affiliation is not that important to me in regard to Commissioners.

BTW, like you, I credit with the Developer in making The Villagers a really great retirement community. I have an issue, however, with some of the things the Developer has done in developing it.