[Aloha1]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I live in Lake County and therefore don't have a dog in this fight.

Yes, you do have a "dog in this fight". The new IFD will cover ALL of The Villages, not just Sumter County. To allow a few curmudgeons to put ALL of us in Marion and Lake County at risk is not right. Their out right hatred of the "developer" affects us all. I prefer a system NOT controlled by one County board. Simply look at what these people gave us with the Sumter Commission 2 years ago. Vote YES for safety.

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by Aloha1

Yes, you do have a "dog in this fight". The new IFD will cover ALL of The Villages, not just Sumter County. To allow a few curmudgeons to put ALL of us in Marion and Lake County at risk is not right. Their out right hatred of the "developer" affects us all. I prefer a system NOT controlled by one County board. Simply look at what these people gave us with the Sumter Commission 2 years ago. Vote YES for safety.

Good, are you volunteering to pitch in for the cost ? Sumter County TV Residents have been subsidizing more than just the Sumter County Fire Department.

[midiwiz]

Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages

[ The new fire district is being supported by the Developer (note the cap on taxes on commercial property),


I agree - VOTE NO

To fund the fire district, there will be a millage rate tax on property UP TO A MAX VALUE OF $10 MILLION.

Look at any shopping plaza (they are all owned by the Developer). Look at Brownwood Hotel, or the Waterfront Hotel (owned by the Developer). Look at the new Brownwood Medical building (owned by the Developer.) If they are not each worth $10 million now, they soon will be. But the $10 million cap will stay $10 million forever.

And each of those buildings pay the same $124 per rooftop that you are paying because they have just one rooftop. Those apartment buildings at Brownwood, with dozens of units under one rooftop, also pay just $124 per building.

Why should the Developer's contribution to the fire department be capped artificially low and we have to pay full amount? Those commercial buildings and tall buildings require special equipment (which means larger firehouses).
He should be paying on the full value of his buildings, which he does now on the County property tax.

The proposed funding system is not fair.

While I understand that just about any city you look at this is how it is funded, Sumter/wildwood have their own FD....

With that said - this is actually a "feature/amenity" and should be looked at by "the developer" as a marketing investment/write off.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by ScottFenstermaker

The VHA Recommendation. The misleadingly named Villages Homeowners Advocates (better known as The VHA) has now come out in support of a Yes vote on the proposed fire district. This should surprise no one. The new fire district is being supported by the Developer (note the cap on taxes on commercial property), the Developer's appointed officials, and the Developer's newspaper.

The VHA's History. The VHA was founded in collaboration with the Developer, as VHA's own website kind of admits. Details on the ties between the VHA and the Developer can be found here: POA Accomplishments | POA of The Villages In any event, I have lived here for 15 years. During that time, the VHA has always served as mouthpiece for the Developer and as the Developer's minor league team--whose directors, if they behave and toe the Developer's line, can, with the Developer's backing, move up to the big league of the County Commission.

Developer Ownership of “The VHA” Trademark. Residents who have been paying attention to local politics understand the above facts. But what most residents (including members of The VHA) do not understand is that “The VHA” is actually a trademark of the Developer. You can't make this stuff up! Here is a link to the trademark office search page: Search trademark database | USPTO Do a Basic Wordmark Search for “The VHA”.

The Platter of Platitudes in the VHA Voice. The VHA Voice serves up the usual platter of platitudes in its latest issue advocating a Yes vote on the fire district and glosses over all the reasons to vote NO. For example, it claims that “most residents will not see a significant increase in their tax bill.” What does “most” mean: 51%? What does “significant” mean? The truth is that there is no way of telling how much the initial unelected fire-district-board members (who, as a practical matter, will be designated by or acceptable to the Developer) will increase our taxes. One thing is clear, however, our taxes will increase! And for what???

Learn the Facts and Vote NO. One bit of advice that the VHA Voice does get right is: In researching the proposed fire district, “Always CONSIDER THE SOURCE”. By all means do so, and think about who owns The VHA trademark and the history of The VHA. Then read, or re-read, the October POA Bulletin ( https://www.poa4us.org/wp-content/up...0-Bulletin.pdf ), and, if you haven't already done so, reject the recommendation of the Developer's VHA and vote NO on the proposed fire district.

I also resent the fact that when I Early Voted at Laurel Manor last week firefighters were out in uniform campaigning for a "Yes" vote. I don't think public employees whose salaries are paid by the taxpayers should be campaigning for any ballot initiative from which they would financially benefit.

[Aloha1]

Originally Posted by Bilyclub

Good, are you volunteering to pitch in for the cost ? Sumter County TV Residents have been subsidizing more than just the Sumter County Fire Department.

We ALL pay for fire and safety. It's on our tax statement. You are not subsidizing anyone but your self.

[Aloha1]

So the original poster comes here with only 29 posts yet claims knowledge of a long time resident. I smell shenanigans. Could this be Advogado?

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by Aloha1

So the original poster comes here with only 29 posts yet claims knowledge of a long time resident. I smell shenanigans. Could this be Advogado?

Yes, it is Advogado. The mouthpiece for the POA.

[Mrs.Guy]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

Yes, it is Advogado. The mouthpiece for the POA.

Not only a mouthpiece for the POA, but as I see it - A retired attorney who has a strong dislike for the developer (some would say hatred) who lets this dislike cloud his better judgment. The way we see it, he could care less about the IFD..... he just wants to think he is sticking it to the Developer and the hell with anyone else it effects.

In all fairness I will tell you, my husband is a retired Firefighter/EMT. He says we have a GREAT F.D. here! We fully support them.

IMHO the detractors need to keep their anti-big business political attitudes out of this argument.

[ScottFenstermaker]

Originally Posted by Aloha1

So the original poster comes here with only 29 posts yet claims knowledge of a long time resident. I smell shenanigans. Could this be Advogado?

I have never attempted to hide my identity, but when I originally signed up on the site, everybody was using an alias, so I also did (Advogado). I recently decided that if I am going to state my opinion on a controversial issue, I should use my real name. I wish other members would also do so. I would improve the civility of the discussions. There are no shenanigans to smell. FYI, since you raised the topic, I have owned a house here for 15 years, and been a permanent resident since 2013.

[ScottFenstermaker]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

Yes, it is Advogado. The mouthpiece for the POA.

See my explanation below. FYI: my only affiliation with the POA is that I am a member.

[ScottFenstermaker]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Guy

Not only a mouthpiece for the POA, but as I see it - A retired attorney who has a strong dislike for the developer (some would say hatred) who lets this dislike cloud his better judgment. The way we see it, he could care less about the IFD..... he just wants to think he is sticking it to the Developer and the hell with anyone else it effects.

In all fairness I will tell you, my husband is a retired Firefighter/EMT. He says we have a GREAT F.D. here! We fully support them.

IMHO the detractors need to keep their anti-big business political attitudes out of this argument.

The only thing I hate is a plutocracy in which local government represents the interests of only one resident. For example: Do you understand that the Developer has our local state representative, Brett Hage, on his payroll for almost a million dollars a year for part time work? But neither you nor I are the issue here. If your husband thinks that the firefighters are doing a great job under the present system, why change it by voting yes, and thereby buying a pig in a poke and increasing our taxes.

[ScottFenstermaker]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Guy

Not only a mouthpiece for the POA, but as I see it - A retired attorney who has a strong dislike for the developer (some would say hatred) who lets this dislike cloud his better judgment. The way we see it, he could care less about the IFD..... he just wants to think he is sticking it to the Developer and the hell with anyone else it effects.

In all fairness I will tell you, my husband is a retired Firefighter/EMT. He says we have a GREAT F.D. here! We fully support them.

IMHO the detractors need to keep their anti-big business political attitudes out of this argument.

The only thing I hate is a plutocracy in which local government represents the interests of only one resident. For example: Do you understand that the Developer has our local state representative, Brett Hage, on his payroll for almost a million dollars a year for part time work? But neither you nor I are the issue here. If your husband thinks that the firefighters are doing a great job under the present system, why change it by voting yes, and thereby buying a pig in a poke and increasing our taxes.

[ScottFenstermaker]

Originally Posted by Steve

I also resent the fact that when I Early Voted at Laurel Manor last week firefighters were out in uniform campaigning for a "Yes" vote. I don't think public employees whose salaries are paid by the taxpayers should be campaigning for any ballot initiative from which they would financially benefit.

I hope that they were their on their own (not the taxpayers') time.

[ScottFenstermaker]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

Too many unanswered questions. I attended two of the “open” town hall type meetings at the rec centers and came away with the same unanswered questions. Unknown budget for the new bricks and mortar and equipment needed for the ever increasing new areas of the community and of course the higher concentration of people in single but multiple residence structures going up. Suggest a NO vote this time and let them come back to the table next time with more open and frank discussion and answers.

That is my point. Think about a Yes vote as if you were buying a business. Would you buy a business knowing as little about it as we are being told about the new fire district?

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by Aloha1

We ALL pay for fire and safety. It's on our tax statement. You are not subsidizing anyone but your self.

If you're in Marion or Lake County all you pay towards The Villages Fire Department is $124. That's why you can't vote on the Independent Fire District. Oh, forgot about the 5 bucks for the stupid smoke alarm battery changers.