Inundated with ads from developers puppets
 

Every day my mailbox is stuffed with ads from the developers puppets on the Sumter commission and road signs all over the place. Who is paying for this and what do they expect in return. i’m curious.

Is that a question that really needs to be asked? We all know who is paying for it, in return for a rubber stamp of approval on anything they want!

Wonder what it cost the developer to buy these people?

Sounds like most business entities.
Is "the developer" singular or plural.

Or just a catch all like "they"....who also gets credited for doing most things some do not like or disagree with.

Chump change compared to the benefits they get.

Trying to decide if this is worse than warm pool water.. :popcorn:

Just stirring the pot.....we do have folks on here that get great satisfaction in doing that, how I don't understand but it seems to work for them.

Thanks for following my posts, and yes I will be happy to answer your questions. I don't stir a pot from a distance anymore than anyone else sitting at their computer, my wife and I have invested our retirement savings in a home in Sumter county. I pay all the taxes and fees that every other county resident pays. I make it my business to learn as much as I can about county government, because it effects both our investment and lifestyle. I can name every county commissioner, and hope to soon be learning the name of new commissioners. I can not vote in the state of Florida because I need to keep my primary residence in MA or my wife and I will lose our health insurance. We both have very real heath issues that are all good now, but need to keep access to our doctors up north. I only vote in MA for local elections because my vote for national elections means absolutely nothing living in the state of Massachusetts (although I will admit that I wrote in Tom Brady for the last presidential election because I could not stomach voting for either of the other two candidates). I am currently up north but will be driving down to our Villages home very shortly for a much deserved long stay at our other home. Although I used to (pre-covid) occasionally fly to Florida for a rather short golf vacation, when we go to our Villages home it is not for a Vacation, but to spend quality time at one of our two homes, spending countless hours maintaining our home so I fits in well with our neighborhood. Any other questions?

I’m sure you’ve all heard, and many of you have said:
“America, love it or leave it”
Well, guess what word to ‘change’ in that sentence!
Call a broker!

So how much are you getting for the article. Free property taxes for this year. Nice try I didn’t buy it.

Since you didnt quote a post no idea whom you are referring to.

It’s VERY INEXPENSIVE considering what they recieve in a year!

Better than having those people knock on your door.

I’ll take the REPEAL of ENTERTAINMENT TAX. The return is only about $330 daily the kiosks return more, the average entertainer makes $250 maybe each performance. Most people come here to visit relatives not for entertainment.

I would be careful, the funding for the 3 men running against the incumbents have their own agenda that cost money to implement and they all cost
money. If they are rolling back the tax increase where are they going to get the money for their projects? They will be cutting something, maybe the entertainment money will be for the new no kill shelter.

Entertainment tax has nothing to do with real estate taxes. The money must be used to attract tourists to Sumter County. Lots of projects are funded out of that tax. You should know the squares are a huge attractions, they support restaurants and hotels all over the county. Before you spout you should do some research. If Mr. Miller said he will not find square entertainment then he needs to understand how much money tourism brings the area. It would effect a lot of people’s jobs and hurt your property value. Go buy a house in Stonecrest or Spruce Creek and you will see their values are stagnant. Wake up! The three challengers all have an agenda, and it will not benefit you. Go back to where you came from if you do not like how things are here. It was like this before you arrived.

I hope you are enjoying your 25% tax increase brought to you by the developer's puppets. I doubt the developer is going to destroy their business model because they did not get things 100% their way. They still have a lot of homes to sell and resell.

Just so you all know, when the 25% tax increase was voted in by the Developer's puppets, their impact fees went down. So we are all paying more per new home and the Developer is paying less. And if you don't think the kiosks pay for the entertainment you are delusional. Yes, the County is now contributing to the music on the Squares, which is now non-existent. If you have never gone to a meeting of the Sumter County Commissioners and seen their arrogant, my way or the highway attitudes, their scrolling thru their phones while the public speaks so they can get thru it and vote the way they were told anyway, you have missed an opportunity to see how things really work in Sumter Co. Tell me, just why has the Developer spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get these same guys reelected? As one guy here said, it's chump change vs. what they get with their rubber stamps. Believe it or not, it's true.

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Re the Sumpter election. I did research myself. Mail ads etc etc do little to nothing to persuade me. It's Marketing. If that type of Marketing impacted my actions, I would have died by now in order to take advantage of the Cremation ads. And shop at Bed Bath Beyond every day to redeem those 20% coupons.

So my research brought out several videos taken by constituents at Commision meetings. I was disgusted to see how memebrs of the public were treated by some of these members up for re-election. I was registered NPA (unable to vote in the Sumpter primary). I went to the County office to change my 'affiliation' to Rep in order to vote in this primary. I got a ballot by mail and did my duty. My better 1/2 likes to vote at the poll, and she did. And we both will switch back to NPA as we are both independent. But we simply could NOT sit back after seeing how consituents were treated by the 3 encumbents.

$$$$ drives politics from the Local Dog Catcher to the Federal President. It's worse now than ever. Sad but it is what it is. All these ads etc have little impact to me.

But that Cremation Society thing is beginning to appeal to me....
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It PROBABLY cost a few dinners, golf rounds, vacations.....The Developer is endorsing and paying for all the advertising for these guys. No surprise there.

One out of 3 commissioners said that? That doesn’t get a vote passed. I’ll wait and see and take my chances.

And you get a free lunch too. Wonder though if they burn it?

I’ll stick with the group we have now , do they work well with the family , I think they do and contrary to some ,the villages run well if it didn’t there wouldn’t be so many people buying here.Ive lived in a few condos where things were running smoothly, until groups mostly older took control , they didn’t want to spend on this , we can push that off for another couple of years ,the lobby paint job still looks good after 3 years , you get the picture , things can wait I don’t want to spend I’m happy and older. The same thing could happen here , cut back maintenance, don’t fix this or that , yes to the theme park in your front yard , I don’t go to town square so why should I pay . The old saying if it’s not broke don’t fix it seems good to me about this election that I’m not even allowed to vote in

It is your choice. Enjoy the 25% tax increase for things that should have been paid by the developer who I am sure is very happy to have us pay for it instead.

My mailbox is not stuffed with political adds only an occasion one

Plural in a manner of speaking, but in reality you can look it up and it looks similar to any corporation. In this case it's nearly an entire family, but there is a "CEO", and many other titles. The "corporate" configuration looks like those you are probably use to in publicly traded company.... MINUS of course.....LOL.... the board of directors, or, perhaps these "paid" supervisors/commissioners might (with a stretch of the imagination) be similar to a board.... LOL !

You are 100% correct on the "arrogance". REGARDLESS if the resident is "conservative" or "liberal", pro "developer", or pro entire community, EVERYONE owes it to themselves to at least attend and view EXACTLY what you described: immature (?) representatives who, like teens, can not turn off their cell phones long enough to look at and listen to the PUBLIC who elects them. Just like the national political parties, people need to think: Do I have a RIGHT to have my public official at the very least PAY ATTENTION at public forums ? I have no particular "axe to grind"; entertainment, no entertainment, this, that, but.... I have never, ever, seen ignoring of the constituency to the degree it exists here ! I suppose it's because we all bought into a highly controlled community with no "real" representation; no mayor, no city council, not much of anything to protect constitutional rights. Where else have you lived that you had to actually walk through a long gauntlet of people sitting in chairs with big signs for this and that candidate shouting to you, "be sure to vote for _____" ? Most communities have laws against that. In my former community in Florida, ALL had to be across the street from a polling place. That was very nice, you did not have to dread going to vote. I realize many here like the ability to talk face to face to people just as they go into a polling place, but I for one do not look forward to it, just my opinion, not any more, or less, important than anyone else's ! But DO go to the meetings a see the utter arrogance for yourself.... then THINK about what you want to make your community the best it can be for you, and for me.

It’s the Chicago way! Proven over the times.

Truth of money behind developer’s puppet commissioners
 

Financial reports available from both the county and state election sites show total expenditures for the incumbents and the developer at over $200,000.00. A lot of money! One needs to ask, why is the developer involved at this huge amount of money for most of us? We should not worry about the entertainment going away in the squares, the Sumter county subsidy does not pay the entire bill. Besides, Spanish Springs is in Lake County and is not affected! With that said, if there is any change in nightly entertainment at the squares, it will be due to a vindictive decision made solely by the developer. Think hacienda rec center! The EMS challengers can only make changes if elected. Vote!

:icon_wink: So get out and vote early and vote often. Also the Chicago way. :1rotfl:

Yes I am enjoying my tax increase.....because since I moved here in late 2011, my taxes have gone down, and even with the increase, the total taxes are only up about 7.3% in 7 years, while the Ad Valorem is only up 5.87% in 7 years, all while my assessed value it up 38.6%. Hindsight is 20x20 and in this case those of you quoting the 25% are taking things out of context and not looking at the whole picture. If you bill went up 25%, you probably just bought a year or so ago, or are not homestead, or are canadian or snowbirds with homestead up north, or don't live in TV. Your blindsighted approach would damage the future, home values, tourism, and your own personal enjoyment for which you moved here.

I was gonna say something kinda like that but then I realized that I wanted to talk about certain groups feeling one way and certain other groups feeling another way and then I realized it was political. I decided that I really enjoy being here on this forum and seeing what people have to say, although I don't agree with a very small percentage of them. EVERY DANGED TIME AND almost on everything.

How'd I do. Am I safe?

That maybe true to a degree but i contend the relative cam here in a bit part because of the entertainment. If not why live her. You could do live down the road for 1/2 the price.

Not true

In addition, for 2020, Florida is 23rd out of 50 states at an average $1,773 (lower half) and Sumter County is $1,517 average (lower half of FL and 760th of 3,143 in the US)....for average $150,000 valuation. 0.82% of property value (1,461 of 3,143).

I think you got it all wrong. The people you label as complainers are people venting their frustration because they care about the residents of the Villages and want to see everyone’s investment in their home and retirement lifestyle turn out as good as possible. The cranky old complainers who need to get a life are those who have nothing better to do then call out people who care deeply about the residents of the Villages.

As Goldwingnut stated in a recent post, don’t confuse pro-resident, with anti-developer.

Miller comes out... new guy comes in.... entertainment starts up again, simple!

If we get the new ones, oh the spending we'll see. And there will be a fee
For dancing and drinking on the squares.
They are driven to spend and it won't just soon end .
And then the up'd taxes will look more than fair.

Tell the ones who are in to stay in.
Or else the "reform" will begin.
We'll have pools that are heated AND cooled.
And the kings clothes will all be jeweled.

If it ain't broke don't fix it she said.
We are here until we are dead.
So far the trip is quite nice.
If you want the pool cool just bring ice.

Why are we worried about the entertainment, we should not pay for it...let the businesses around the square underwrite this expense. They get between 700-$1,000 per night, depending on the group. I don't have to leave it! I stomach corrupt government!! The builder has no business controlling the government for his own benefit. This is not a monarchy. There are certain crime agencies in this country that investigate criminal activities along with mafia control of businesses and different levels of our government. Don't overlook our current sheriff...he takes his orders from the developer to NOT ISSUE SPEEDING TICKETS....ONLY
A WARNING!!! WHY...we need to dump this guy. Don't take my word, call the local sheriff and speak to the station chief. DEE GUSTING FOLKS.... apathy should not put our safety, health at risk as we travel on "our" streets . WAKE UP!!

A 25% tax increase without debate will definitely lead to many more tax increases. They found the pot of gold and when they need more money because of mismanagement, slow sales, etc., guess where they will come? The current expansion is not justified without short & long termed market based evaluation. We all change over time and brilliance of Morse & Schwartz is they built in phases adjusting as the market dictated. The current young group is taking on one enormous development all at once without considering massive market fluxuations.