From the explanation in the video and the data in the maintenance assessment documents for CDD14 and CDD15 it appears that the cost is distributed across all the platted homes whether they are built, sold, occupied, or just lines on a paper. The fee does not matter how many people are living in the CDD, the fee depends on how many homes are encompassed by the CDD.

For example, the total CDD15 fee is distributed across 3,616 homes on 639 acres. Is it even possible that all 3,616 homes are even constructed, much less occupied? Yet the fee is being assessed to those properties anyway.

The more people who move in the less of the fee comes from the Developer paying for unoccupied properties. The CDD receives the same amount whether all properties are sold or not. An individual homeowner pays the same amount whether all properties are sold or not. It is only the Developer who loses if there are vacant (or unbuilt) homes.

For #3, it doesn't really kick the can down the road, assuming that way more houses will be sold to absorb the cost. It was a problem this year because of the few houses (on a % basis of total expected homes) that have been sold. I would fully expect the fees next year should be more in line with what others pay in other districts.

if $2 million is chicken feed to you can I have $1 million please?

Please read the post immediately preceding yours.

“The Developer” is not an individual, most likely. It a board or committee that, of course, has the sense to be mindful of public relations. This circumstance was extreme. They saw that and made a gesture to help. Based on this thread, they may have been better off doing nothing.

As far as benefits to a donor, there is no such thing as a selfless act. When I give to a charity, I get nothing in return? Not true. I get to feel good about mySELF.

Whatever the particulars, the fact remains that this donation is available money that simply would not be there, had the developer NOT taken this action.

For the life of me, I am totally mystified by some of the negative reactions to what is essentially a very good thing. We were taught as kids that nothing is impossible in America: that hard work and dedication can reap hugely positive rewards. The financial success stories of the day were not something to disparage, but instead to admire, and the people achieving those successes were seen not as some kind of villain or just lucky in some kind of dice-roll, but instead as role-models. We could be them, if we just worked hard enough.

I have nothing against the developer: he has created a one-of-a-kind entity here in The Villages that to many is the standard for what a retirement community SHOULD be. If he continues to get richer thereby, more power to him. It is something worthy of admiration. But the negative reactions of many are, to put it bluntly, unfathomable. For my wife and myself, we intend to continuing to enjoy this world-class creation called The Villages, and not to spend any time at all consumed with jealousy or envy of the entity who created it.

Personally, i think in my short time on here that I’ve been very complementary of the Morse family. Heck, I want Wharton to bring Mark in and teach this stuff to the future business leaders of America. So forgive me for asking for specifics before I pass judgment on any of his ‘gestures’. Even his contributions to said members of the BOCC...my commentary wasn’t ‘damning’ the developer, its all legal and he has a right to support those that align with his vision. TV is unlike any other municipality in the nation....because in those ‘cities and towns’, the majority of development has been established. Here, it rolls on. So just like a municipality, I never take my eyes off of the wheel of progress. It affects all of us and the real ‘losers’ are the ones that stop paying attention and circle back at a later date....and after the fact with ‘Huh?!’

You echo my sentiments exactly! I did my research before deciding to move here and spend my retirement years. The organization, rules, politics, infrastructure, philosophy of the developer, etc of The Villages come as no surprise to me, and was actually the reasons why I’d decided to move here. I actually sorta feel bad for those who were not aware of how The Villages is run prior to moving here, and are now unhappy as retirees. Not a way I would want to spend my retirement years.

I agree!

The list of Debbie Downers is not that long, but is a list nonetheless.
They jump on the trivial to the major topics with their direct or indirect criticism of the “Developer”. Adding their far off solutions assuming they know the background of the topic. Their commentary gets very old…………

I think this response works for about 3/4 of the complaints here on ToTV. 10 years from now this place will still be nice, there will be a lot to do, there will be a bunch of old folks and prices will still be increasing.

Someone here has a tag line in their sig that says something like 'people are as happy as they make up their minds to be'. We're gonna die pretty soon, try to enjoy what's left.

They should not have done it. Now others will want them to chip in for their rise in rates.

Completely agree. I don't think they should have done this.

Yup. The dreaded ‘precedent’ argument is in the oven already for next year! :1rotfl:

I don't know anything about the motives of the Developer. But it's not a deferral. The raise in fees is happening this year, and the Developer is paying an extra portion of it.

There'll be a raise in fees next year too. This gives current and potential new homeowners a year to save up for the next year's bump or to choose a different place to live in, if they're not already here. That's something they didn't have this time around.

I think it was horrible optics for the developer to have increased like that on newcomers to TV thus they are kicking in for this year. It’s still a 20% increase in all the newest areas which is a big increase, and what about next year?