[Mrs.Guy]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

If you vote yes, your property taxes may go up
If you vote no, your property taxes may go up

They shouldn't, but that will essentially be up to Sumter County, not The Villages

But if you vote no, you may have your emergency services merged with Sumter County, which would probably diminish service, AND your property taxes may go up

You can explain it to people..... you can't understand it for them.

[Mrs.Guy]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

If you vote yes, your property taxes may go up
If you vote no, your property taxes may go up

They shouldn't, but that will essentially be up to Sumter County, not The Villages

But if you vote no, you may have your emergency services merged with Sumter County, which would probably diminish service, AND your property taxes may go up

I think there may even be another possibility, if you vote yes, your property taxes may go down. Has anyone asked AMR what they made in the Villages section of Sumter Co.? I would think the collection success would be pretty good here.

[Babubhat]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Guy

If the Sumter Co Board had their way and combined both dept. into one and you were laying on the ground holding your chest waiting for AMR..... well you might think just a little differently. With your last breath you might be asking where do I send the money? And you do know the two dept. have different ISO ratings..... Take a wild guess who has the better one and pays less in insurance. Last I looked the VPSD had an ISO rating of 2 and only 2% of all Fire Dept. in the U.S. can say that. They are professionals at their job and they would like our support.....that's all I needed to know to VOTE YES. We want them there when we need them and should be there for them also.

If. If . If. Nothing concrete. That says it all. Not sufficiently well thought out. People need to stop obsessing over a potential minute. Emotional arguments are speculative

I don’t believe in if.

[oldtimes]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Guy

You can explain it to people..... you can't understand it for them.

[Mrs.Guy]

Originally Posted by Babubhat

If. If . If. Nothing concrete. That says it all. Not sufficiently well thought out.

I don’t believe in if.

See post #226

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Mrs.Guy

You can explain it to people..... you can't understand it for them.

The sad part is that it’s not quantum physics

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

The sad part is that it’s not quantum physics

Only Sumter County politics. Much more difficult, and costlier.

[Dotneko]

So, a Yes vote increases my taxes by a few hundred dollars with no appreciable change in services.
What is the Villages rec centers and other various buildings stake in this? Are their taxes going down?
Whats in it for them?

[pokeefe45@aol.com]

Lot of information-Appreciate the explanation of why it's not possible to determine cost impact right now. I get it. I've got to believe that there's more than enough financial transparency for anyone to see how fees will be calculated, once the data is in. My glass is half full, and I am believing in our public servants. Always there will be 'bad' apples-but mostly public servants are dedicated and want to do 'good'. As for me, the more local my decisions can become, the more control I have of my own destiny (via my vote).
Haven't quite fully grasped the actual phrasing of the ballot question-But am led to believe a 'yes' vote is a vote to establish the independent fire district in the Villages, am I correct in that belief? Yes to change-No to keep status quo?
Thanx to Mr. Wiley for taking the time and making the effort to elucidate.

[Mrs.Guy]

Originally Posted by Dotneko

So, a Yes vote increases my taxes by a few hundred dollars with no appreciable change in services.
What is the Villages rec centers and other various buildings stake in this? Are their taxes going down?
Whats in it for them?

You ask "Whats in it for them?" You make it sound like they are the enemy. They aren't and neither is the Developer. Educate yourself on this place and Community Development Districts and how they work if you live here..... THEM IS US! The District owned buildings and rec. centers are government owned buildings and DON"T PAY TAXES. The Developer owned properties do.

Also you state "a Yes vote increases my taxes by a few hundred dollars with no appreciable change in services." Well that's NOT TRUE.
I don't care how you cast your uninformed vote..... I do care about FACTS and people that give out misinformation. Also take the time to read ALL OF THE THREAD..... some of us actually do that!!!

[Dotneko]

The developer is not the enemy but neither are they necessarily our friends. They do nothing that doesn't first and foremost benefit them. If it benefits us along the way, then good for us.
I'm voting no. Nothing said here gives me confidence this is in my best interest.

[Two Bills]

I have no dog in this issue at all, but have followed the debate on this thread, and were I a voter, I too would vote yes.
What would be the deciding factor after the financial facts, and in some areas speculative financial facts is the wordage.
I love the word Independent.
Never been too keen on the words, Local Government Control.
Just an outsiders opinion.

[ScottFenstermaker]

Originally Posted by Babubhat

If. If . If. Nothing concrete. That says it all. Not sufficiently well thought out. People need to stop obsessing over a potential minute. Emotional arguments are speculative

I don’t believe in if.

You are exactly right. We are being sold a pig in a poke by the proponents of the new fire district. The present system works, and there is no need to dismantle it and set up a Fire District with a whole lot of unknowns. Voters should keep in mind the adage: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The fact that the enabling legislation was quickly put together and pushed through the legislature by the notorious million-dollar-Developer-employee Representative Brett Hage should raise red flags about what is going on.

[Byte1]

A couple of thoughts:
Are the present firefighters paid by the county? If so, then what happens to their retirement funding, if any? Do they still get county benefits if they are "Independent?"
Not to get political and trying to merely make a point, I received an email from a "D" organization telling me to vote "NO." That tends to make it easier for some to vote "YES." I really wish they would not make it a politically partisan issue.
I have read some very good answers on here, both "yay" and "nay." I am going to leave myself open to plausible views before I vote this week or next. So far, both views seem to make sense.
I will continue to look forward to sensible suggestions, or I will just leave it blank. I prefer not to leave it blank but rather than make the wrong decision and regret it, I figure I might end up letting others regret their choice.

[oldtimes]

Originally Posted by Byte1

A couple of thoughts:
Are the present firefighters paid by the county? If so, then what happens to their retirement funding, if any? Do they still get county benefits if they are "Independent?"
Not to get political and trying to merely make a point, I received an email from a "D" organization telling me to vote "NO." That tends to make it easier for some to vote "YES." I really wish they would not make it a politically partisan issue.
I have read some very good answers on here, both "yay" and "nay." I am going to leave myself open to plausible views before I vote this week or next. So far, both views seem to make sense.
I will continue to look forward to sensible suggestions, or I will just leave it blank. I prefer not to leave it blank but rather than make the wrong decision and regret it, I figure I might end up letting others regret their choice.

Firefighter salaries and pensions are paid by the state