Why do we as Sumter County taxpayers put up with this?
 

You may not know but here are a few facts that will disgust you!

1. Sumter County Commissioners signed a 30 year contract in July 2018 with The Villages rich developers whereas we taxpayers will pay for roads and drainage infrastructure within land owned by the developers. The Villages gets to select the construction company, Rainey Construction, to design and build roads and drainage with ZERO competitor bids. The developers submit invoices for this design & construction cost plus 3% management fees to Sumter County. The owner of Rainey and the Morse Family are business partners in a large hunting lodge in Montana!

2. The Sumter County Commissioners also voted for a 25% tax increase so that us the taxpayers will eat the cost for The Villages developers!

3. In return of this 30 year contract The Villagers developers agree to build a 4th town center in Sumter County...no target date was set for this new town center so they have up to 30 years to build it.

4. The Sumter County Commissioners also agreed to pay for infrastructure roads and drainage for a new Developers business park to be located on I-75...this is your taxpayers money to assist the ultra rich developers!

5. Did you know that the Morse Family is the second richest family in Florida. The owner of Carnival Corporation is the richest.

6. The only way to stop this madness is to vote the current Sumter County Commissioners out in November who do not have your interest in mind!

please post your thoughts in a business like manner! Be civil.

1. So what???? Please show me a locality where the taxpayers do not pay for roads and infrastructure owned by the county. And what does a jointly owned hunting lodge have to do with anything, except maybe jealousy of their success

2. So how did you think the county was going to pay for all the new infrastructure?

3. I'm not sure a 4th town square was a quid pro quo in this deal, but again so what. Isn't it benefit to those newly developed areas south of route 44?

4. Business Parks and commercial developments add to the tax base. Again, you are hooked up on the concept of the "ultra rich"

5. So the Morse family is rich. So what? They were successful developers with a great concept that has earned them a great deal of money. That's what they do. They DON"T OWE YOU ANYTHING. Better yet, why don't you put the time and effort into developing an even better community than The Villages and you too could be a billionaire

6. This just sounds like more class warfare babbling. Apparently you object to the county making deals that will improve infrastructure and bring new business to Sumter because they are making the deals with the "ultra rich". Here's a news flash---people receiving social services are not going to build an industrial park, or a shopping center, or the next Villages. Or would you be happier if the county raised taxes to give it away to "the poor".

Yep they're making money. So what that's what they should do. It's a great place to live, plenty of activities and places to shop eat and play. As for the 25% increase it was only on a small portion of you taxes. Mine went up the cost of 1 drink out per week. As for the road construction somebody has to do it and somebody has to pay for it. Can't continue building without more roads & Rainey does a pretty good job. Don't know where you moved from but this is 100% better in all ways compared to where I lived & worked for 60+ years before this and my taxes were at least trible what I pay here. JMO

BWAHAHAHA! The roads/infrastructure are County property that simply permit access to and around the Villages and business park!

That 4th town center - so the developer agreed to build another entertainment facility for Sumter County and you're upset? LOL

25% tax increase? LOL How many years did Sumter County NOT have tax increases? Count your blessings instead of whining!

You missed my point! Up until July 2018 the developers paid for roads on the land they owned...now that cost has been transferred to the taxpayer. I own an international multi million dollar medical company so I am not jealous of people making money!

OP I think some people either don't understand, or have chosen to approve, the double-dipping, cronyism, and political quagmire going on.

In most counties, towns, or other state municipalities, infrastructure and road maintenance is either done by the state or municipality itself (through their public works department) or they go out to bid for each project. There is rarely a 30-year contract awarded to contractors, ever, for anything. Many things can happen in the 30-years of a contractor's business that would either drive costs up, or result in delays that citizens are paying to have done in a timely manner.

The Morse family has cronies, friends, business partners - in the county government. This is known, no secret, no conspiracy, they talk about it live in meetings. The Morse family ALSO are partners with this particular contractor's owner.

The Morse family has basically made a deal with the county government to award a multi-billion-dollar-deal to their pal and partner, for a 30-year contract, thus completely bypassing the bidding process for the next 30 years. Considering that the Villages is the #1 largest developing real estate in this part of the state, they've basically shut out ALL competition in the region. Everyone involved is able to write their own check for this, and the taxpayer AND the Villages residents pay for it.

One issue is that the Villages residents ARE the taxpayers. So they get to pay twice. Once when they buy the house in the form of bonds (a part of which covers infrastructure in Sumter County), and once per year in the form of the increased taxes.


I feel that it's the 30-year aspect of this that's the trouble, combined with the fact that Village homeowners are already paying a portion of infrastructure costs by way of the bond. Not that Rainey is contracted to do the work. The contract duration terms is just totally inconsistent with the rest of the state, and the rest of the country, and reeks of political and financial payola.

I'd like to see a source for your assertion that up until 7/2018 the developers paid for the roads. My understanding is that they were built and paid for by the county. If they weren't, we could pull all the red buttons out of the gates and make this a truly gated community.

The building of roads on private property has been the responsibility of the developers. Once completed the developers turns the private property roads over to the county. Also current county roads like 466A are upgraded by the county.

One small correction.

They aren't just "turned over" to the county...they are sold to the county.

With guidelines and procedures established, that strongly favor the developer...in receiving the highest price possible. :oops:

Is the OP's statements correct or not? I don't know what to believe anymore. :confused:

I will not be voting for anyone who runs for office because they are angry.

This is the best place that I have ever lived. Of course you can look hard enough to find something to complain about - if that is what your life is about. As for me, I think that changes would more likely make our community less enjoyable, not more. If you want to call me a Kool-aide drinker, go ahead. I like Kool-aide. It is delicious and refreshing.

Kool-aide is also very very unhealthy!!!

Well, I just applied for a building permit in Sumter County for what is considered a small job (under $15,000 in improvements). A couple of weeks ago the permit would have cost $158, but today it costs $350. That is an increase of 121.5%. As if the slap in the face of a 25% property tax increase wasn't already enough! The greed of Sumter County appears to have no limits, vote the bums out of office! How could the replacements possibly be any worse at representing the counties tax payers?

Hmmm. Taxes go up. Fees go up. The price of food goes up. What a shock:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

IMO, much ado about nothing.

How much in taxes did your multinational company contribute to "our" society last year ? According to the IRS the average taxpayer pays 13.5% of income to federal government.

The part about no competitive bids is worrisome. I admire the Morse family tremendously for creating the Villages with it's beautiful infrastructure and sparkling pools. They have added to the quality of life for thousands of over-55ers. They earned their fortune.

Thank you. You have stated the facts. If people choose not to believe them, it is their problem. Some people just can't get their heads out of the sand. And we see a lot of that around here. I will not be voting for any of the present Commissioners. They lost me with the 25% tax increase - complete mismanagement.

Never said I was wealthy or a millionaire.

All my facts came directly from Sumter County...

Sumter County said they had a quid pro quo arrangement with the "ultra rich" developers to trade a 30 year contract for a 4th town square?????

:confused: I just pulled up the Sumter Co. Property Appraiser's Web Site Sumter County Property Appraiser - Joey Hooten - Bushnell, Florida - 352-569-6800
You can go back to 2006 and look at tax info. I've been here full time since 2004.
On my 2006 tax bill the total millage rate (ad valorem) was 14.9660
On our 2019 (latest) tax bill the total ad valorem millage rate was 12.4001
That means our millage rate is down 2.5659 over the last 13 years.
I also want to add we paid $63.79 less in Sumter Co. property taxes in 2019 than we did in 2006. AND $255.92 less in total ad valorem taxes.

CAN ANY "SUMTER COUNTY VOTER" PLEASE EXPLAIN AGAIN WHY I SHOULD BE MAD? WHY I SHOULD WANT TO CHANGE THE WAY OUR COUNTY IS RUN? CHANGE WHO RUNS THE COUNTY? :shrug:

I really (sorry) don't want to hear from people who don't live here..... this is our home..... not our golf vacation destination. I know you might be tax payers and home owners here and entitled to your opinions..... I just don't (sorry really) want to here them. Thank you for letting me rant. :)

It is not only in the July 10, 2018 commissioners monthly minutes but in the actual contract that the developers signed! All available at the Sumter County office

Not shocked, we know nothing ever goes down when any form of government involved.:super:

I am glad developers built out in my district. My opinion on taxes, Sumter County has had the lowest tax rate of the three counties for while, about time they pay their far share.

And the whole deal was made public at the time in both print and online news outlets. There was nothing secretive about it.
It was and is a good development deal for Sumter County and the City of Wildwood that will provide a significantly increasing tax base for both for years to come.
And the resulting recent “increased” Sumter County property tax millage rate of 6.7 is 67% of what it was 20 years ago! Yes, the millage rate was 10.0 in years 1999 and 2000.
Yes, the “poor” property owners in Sumter County are now paying significantly less tax per $1,000 of property value than they were in any year between 1999 and 2012!!
And an immediate benefit to Villagers as a result of the development of new homes south of 44 is that sales value of pre-owned homes north of 44 have skyrocketed over the past 3 years.
Geez, give it a break. That development deal was a good one for all of us.

I don't remember reading or hearing about any issues with county comminsioners before the tax increase. After, it seems they are all corrupt and need to be voted out.

So, can someone detail reasons why they are not doing the job they were elected to do? Don't talk about taxes. We have all heard it.

The above argument holds no water for those who bought homes relatively recently and did not enjoy years of low taxes. People who bought thinking their taxes were going to be X, had no idea their taxes would become X & 25% almost immediately. I expected reasonable tax increases of a couple percent per year, not 25% in one year.

:) I've heard that argument and understand. But you said "The greed of Sumter County appears to have no limits, vote the bums out of office!" I don't see that happening. I'm better off now than I was 15 years ago when I left N.Y.S. You can vote the bums out of office if that's how you feel. :ho:

It was NOT a 25% increase across the board period. Pull your last couple of years tax bills only a small portion went up and it was not 25%. Mine went up about $200 total big deal first time since 2009.

A couple things here. I am doing my research as others in here have suggested I do before I purchase.

I thought the bond was to pay for the infrastructure here. Is it not?

Either the taxes in Sumter went up 25% or either they did not. I have read many stories/articles saying they did.

:clap2: :mademyday:

Among other things, the bond pays for the amenities such as the executive golf courses, guard shacks at the gates, and rec centers.

The Sumter "tax" bill actually has 5 components: county tax, school tax, SWFWMD (water management), fire department, and maintenance. Also on the "tax" bill is your bond payment (interest and principal) but I will exclude that from further discussion since many people choose to pay it off and will have a value of zero for their bond payment. The county tax went up about 25% (actually the millage rate increased by about 25%) and the county tax is about about half of the total "tax". The other 4 components didn't significantly change so for many people their "tax" bill went up about 13%.

If you still have a bond payment and computed the percentage change in your "tax" bill from the previous year then the percentage change would be less than 13% since the fixed bond payment is a pretty good percentage of the total "tax" bill.

Further complicating the computation of the percentage increase in the "tax" bill is the fact that some people had a change in the assessed value of their home so their county tax may have gone up by more than 25% (and the school tax would have also increased).

Thank you for the tax explanation.

Others have said that the bond does not pay for things such as golf courses, swimming pools, etc. Isn't that what the amenities fee is for? As such, what is in essence a tax free municipal bond pays for private golf courses and such?

Thanks again. Just trying to learn.

The amenities fee (about $155 per month for most homes and paid to the CDDs) pays to maintain the amenities (executive golf courses, rec centers with pools., etc.). The bond paid for their initial construction plus other infrastructure. The other golf courses (the 18 hole championship courses) are owned and run by the Developer and are not funded by the amenities fee.

Our taxes went up by $800 from last year.

It burns me that my tax dollars are funding the new infrastructure the Developer is building for future residents. That is just WRONG!

You go GOLFING EAGLE, Love it, needs to be said

I don’t care if the Morse family makes money but why should the tax payers subsidize them. There would be no development if there were no roads built so the developer should pay for that.

In most areas the developer pays for the infrastructure (roads) by developer fees these run about $20,000 per home. The Morse’s pay $900.

The entire counties taxes went up because now the tax payers are paying for this cost instead of the developer. This cost is usually built into the price of the home.