Different Responses to the Sumter County 25% Tax Hike
 

The Sumter County website states: “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.

In order to pay for the massive infrastructure impact of the Developer’s massive expansion of The Villages, the Developer’s toadies on the County Commission imposed a 25 percent property-tax increase on Sumter County residents instead of increasing the Developer’s impact fee. The Developer’s impact fee was already set at a sweetheart rate ($901/house for the Developer versus $2,600/for a single-family house outside The Villages in Sumter County and versus $20,000/house in a retirement community in Collier County). It appears by enacting the tax increase in lieu of an increased impact fee, the Commissioners saved the Developer well over $100,000,000 and cost the taxpayers the same amount.

Both the Property Owners’ Association (the “POA”) and the deceptively named Villages Homeowners Advocates (the “VHA”) responded to this outrage, but in starkly different ways. Their different responses show which organization advocates for the residents and which one advocates for the Developer.

The POA Bulletin devoted most of its latest issue to describing the misconduct involved in the recent property tax increase.

In the VHA’s latest bulletin, which is delivered by the Developer’s Daily Sun, the VHA President says, “A significant number of our members have approached me about why The VHA has not made more noise about the planned tax increase in Sumter County. I want you to know that The VHA is very interested in this issue and is in communication with the County Commissioners about it. It is, however, not The VHA’s role to be involved in what is rapidly becoming a political fight….It is not the Developer’s fault….”

That attitude tells you all you need to know about the VHA, but readers should also understand that the Developer promotes VHA officials to political positions. Commissioner Burgess is a former VHA president, and Commissioner Butler is a former VHA director. By the way, both are up for re-election as Commissioner next year. (One would hope that they have the good sense not to seek reelection.)

VHA members may want to think about the above when deciding whether or not to renew their memberships.

Full disclosure: My name is Scott Fenstermaker. I am a member of the POA and sporadically attend their membership meetings. I have never been an officer or director of the POA. I used to also be a member of the VHA, but I let my membership expire some years ago once I realized the relationship of that organization with the Developer. I have collaborated with no one in the POA in writing the above article, and the views expressed therein are solely my own.

Some criticism of your post, Scott.

Hyperbole and strawman arguments overshadow what would otherwise be good points.

Stop referring to them as toadies. Stop calling the situation an outrage. Ditch the comparison to the Collier County developer fee completely. Stop calling it a sweetheart deal.

EVEN IF THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE: continued ad nauseam rhetoric using these terms makes you look like someone with a political agenda, and not like someone who actually sincerely gives a hoot about the situation itself.

I actually agree with most of what you write but the way you present it makes me want to dissociate.

I don't agree with most of what he writes. But I do agree about it being political and your other points.

With all due respect, if you think that my language regarding the 25% tax hike is hyperbolic, you do not understand the stench of what has transpired. If anything, my language, including “Developer's toadies”, is restrained. What straw-man arguments have I made?

Did you attend either of the public hearings conducted by the County Commissioners?

As to my agenda, it should be clear from my original post, but in case it is not: MY AGENDA IS TO GET ALL 5 OF THE PRESENT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REPLACED BY CHALLENGERS WHO ARE COMPETENT AND ARE INDEPENDENT OF THE DEVELOPER. That is not a political agenda. It is a call for honest, representative government.

In conclusion, can you find even one factual error in my original post? If so, please let me know, and I will gladly correct it.

Thanks for the warning. Now I will not even read Scott's post.

Rather than offering information as to what can be done for the citizens if/when elected, we get a lot of "that guy is bad and we need to get rid of him".

OK. Let's say things change for this one issue, and the impact fees are raised and taxes lowered. Then what?

Then we can celebrate that the common peoples’ voice was heard.

I disagree with that and would like to offer another opinion: Continue to read, but take into account everyone's view, not just that of one person. IMO, there are good points in both their views.

they should ALL resign for total Incompetence!!!!!!

That probably will not happen due to all the politics involved. I fear we are in modern-day bubba country.

Dude, nicely said!!!!


:bigbow:

For future reference, she's a dudess.

Appears the $100mil is over stated.


What is the support for this claim??

Thank-you...................but it's generic (in my small mind).






Can I say dude to a girl?
So of course you can say dude to a girl very close to you. Its informal word. ... It's not as common as using it with guys, but yes you can use it with girls. Girls also use it with other girls.