I am sorry but I thought that it was really underhanded to pass on the impact fees to current home owners through increased property taxes. I am pretty sure if that is tried again anywhere there will be a response. I’m ready to bet on it.

Agree with JoMar.

Here are the sponsors of the Bill.....as a Sumter County residents I don't believe we can vote for them.

Rep. Nick DiCeglie of Pinellas County, the House bill sponsor, said “a relief valve” would exist for local governments that can convince voters of a need to go higher.

A companion bill is expected to sail through the Senate under the sponsorship of Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, who is chairman of the Florida Republican Party.

The one legislator does not control the entire state but when he submits a bill that directly benefits the developer and he is employed by that developer does that not strike you as wrong, very wrong!

Robbie0723 this has nothing to do with capitalism and socialism. You're pulling at straws with my comments, extracting opinions I never made about facts I never claimed. I did not say I wanted the government to be our keepers. I said "more" services - not "all" services. Also, the developer is a pretty significant source of capitalism. UNLESS they reap the profits without giving back. And then, they are the recipient of capitalism, while the rest of us are the source.

Taxpayers pay taxes every year. Impact-fees are a one-time expense. A homeowner will see an increased impact fee as an increase in the base cost of their home, to the tune of perhaps $600 on top of what they're already paying. Period. Not every year. Just once, in the purchase price. In fact, if that home is re-sold, they will recoup that impact fee increase cost by passing it on to the new buyer. The developer won't have to pay a dime extra, then.

Meanwhile, taxpayers are still paying taxes, every year. The homebuyer is seeing a $200-400 tax increase every year, indefinitely.

I'd rather pay once, and pass the cost on to the next buyer when the time comes, than have to shell out extra every single year, multiple times what I would have had to pay, if I had only to pay it once when I purchased the home.

Your mileage may vary. If you prefer to pay the taxes, let me know your address and I'll send you our next year's tax bill.

Ditto!

Impact fees are a one time fee paid for by the developer (builder) they are not a tax as so often stated in the daily Sun. This of course means all the tax payers of Sumter county will be paying for the new roads that were needed to build south of 44 because the money will come out of the general fund.

Looks like not just our ‘developer’ issue. Statewide.

Lobbyists/businesses are all over government all all levels up to POTUS with $$$

Nor mine. Dislike people in power who do favors for other people with money while flipping the rest of us the bird.

Yes, it is retroactive to January 1st to make sure the impact FEE increase passed by representatives of the citizens of Sumter doesn't effect Mr Hage's employer.

Time to get rid of the last 2 minions on the board of commissioners and put the governing of Sumter County back into the hands of its citizens.

Please! You know how this works. Brett Hage needs some votes...he votes for their bill and they vote for his. And please know that The Family is the Number 1 donator to the Republican Party in the State of Florida. So they have a lot of influence. The governor stops by for lunch with them for petes sake!

This is government overreach. The state government should not be involved with county/city issues.

Governor
 

Sir this state probably has the best and most proactive Governor in the country. You should be grateful for his courage to stand up for the people of FL. If you doubt that then you simply aren't paying attention.

He won't need it. They will probably run another shill in the next election.

If they do hopefully we will know he/she is a shill and vote for somebody else who just might want to benefit we the people instead of just me the developer.

You need to read the bill to understand how it benefits the developer and not homeowners. It is a shame someone who was voted in office by Villagers is more loyal to his employer than us. Read the actual bill and look at the deletions and additions before you praise this bill as being helpful to homeowners.