What is shameful is to hoard it, especially when it is way beyond what someone needs to live comfortably. I am not calling out the Morse family or any other billionaires specifically because I do not know how they spend their money. But I do believe that if all billionaires (and even hundreds-of-millions-aires)felt a deep regard for their fellow man many problems could be resolved. Those billions of dollars represent resources that could help a lot people who suffer daily without the basic needs of life.

based upon what facts do you state 'they' are hoarding ? do you know where their investments lie ? doubtful its hard currency under collective mattresses,,, rarely does anyonew/basic economic common sense let $$ just lie in place to lose value due to inflation.

“I have never understood why it is "greed" to want to keep the money you have earned but not greed to want to take somebody else's money.”
t sowell

The last thing we need
 

is 3 guys saying no all the time, to turn back the clock , to have no grasp of the vision of what this place is becoming. . They remind me of he older people tin a condo building , that will argue for hours over the replacement of a rug , painting or plants because they won’t be around long so why spend the money. I’m 20 year resident that’s moved 5 times through the villages, for those who haven’t been here that long as nice as it is , it was even better when the family had full control, no extra ornaments , no weeds or bad lawns, no painting or structures without approval, or you would get a notice from neighborhood watch . I’m in new section and at 81 I’m excited about the changes and all the younger retirees, who have come because of all the wonderful things that have here and what will come in future , I don’t need 3 guys saying no over and over

greed definition: The definition of greed is an intense desire to accumulate large amounts of something, such as food or money, especially if you try to acquire more than you need or more than your fair share

Hmm, I think I have seen the above post in about 5 other threads with slight modifications. Yes, I guess you need county commissioners that allow a private bottler to draw massive amounts of water out of a parched aquifer or for a county to raise taxes on the whole county to pay for roads that the developer and new home buyers should be paying for.
Checks and balances are what this country is founded on

WOW! And WOW! Why would anyone want Mr. Butler to represent us? It is clearly his way, or the ''SIT DOWN, .... SIT DOWN" highway.

We don't know if 1. they have it and 2. they hoard it. It very well is their net worth with all of the property they own and is in flux and in use to keep building. I do know they SELF FINANCE.

And what people do with their money is their own business. If I had that much who knows what I would do...or who knows what anyone would do.

I think the Morses do not act uppity or show off and I see their reinvestments in new areas and I also see them renew older modular homes in the older part by buying them and replacing them with safer-during-a-hurricane site built homes that they sell at not as much margin.


ANYONE WHO HAS MORE THAN THEY NEED is rich...and many have more than they need so that if evil befalls them they don't have a hand out to the "gubmunt."

The developers are not at all trustworthy look how they hot away with ripping down Hacienda and got approval to build apartments on that property, the 4 that voted for approving this are not running for re-election. Gee do you think there was some payoffs to those 4 that voted in favor of approving it?

It is interesting to me who decides who has what and when it is too much. Usually the voices come from those who do not save and have their hand out.

The woman in charge at our bank always agrees with me; Money, you can always spend if you need to. Money is both security and power and a source of great good....and evil. And money is hated most by those who don't have it.

I think your dreaming big time. The developers have just proven how greedy they are. Harold must be turning over in his grave with what the family is doing to The Villages now!

I have friends that have pulled their store from Brownwood . $4000 a month base rental for a small store with no relief while closed . ridiculous .let some other idiot pay .

Oren Miller is a commissioner for the people. Hearing about the way people feel about this situation, he agrees that if not giving this money to the entertainment department would stop the the entertainment on the square... by all means, they should get the funds. He said his intention was NOT to "defund" the entertainment on the square, he just felt that there could have been better venues to spend the money.

Oren Miller is not in this forum and this is why I have to reply. He gives you his word, he will vote for what the PEOPLE want.

If they were in Brownwood then I am pretty sure they signed a five year leasing contract like all other businesses. If they closed due to the pandemic, it is possible that their landlords would defer the payments. Or not.

Not one soul ever was pressured to rent here, or at most places that businesses and people rent. This urban legend has been posted again and again. If you want the truth call The Villages Business Rentals and ask them. About every five years someone from there will come on this forum and clear it up, but no one has had a gun held to her/his head to rent. It is the same kind of contract that businesses sign in malls and other seasonal hot spots.

Can I hand this defending off to someone else? The new folks who don't know me will think I have some connection to the Morses. I LOVE this place. Been here for fourteen years and still love this place.

Developers I am familiar with and spoken to have funded their own growth through bonds etc. this is a first for me to Dee a county fund future development the way it has happened in Sumter.

Angie - I appreciate this post.
As I have said, I do think that Oren wants to do what he feels is right for the residents of Sumter County.

Here is my concern, and I don't think I'm alone with how I feel:
I love it here. I love what The Developer has done with The Villages. I love the vision that the Developer has for the development (medical complex, new high school and new championship golf course) south of 44.

I don't think the incumbents have always made the right decisions. I don't think the "25%" tax increase was a good move. I think the incumbents can be a little arrogant.

My concern is, I don't want to elect 3 people that are going to block The Developer at every turn. The Developer has a lot of money that he can invest in Sumter County. I want commissioners who will work with The Developer to improve The Villages and Sumter County. I'm not saying you have to roll over. But I don't want to see gridlock.