:confused: Nearly 300 replies......and you quote me. I'm calm. Calmer than some someone upset about "cloned chips". :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Huh, can you give me a reason why they would recommend a no vote. They are up for a new contract next year and the IFD will certainly be better for their bargaining position. You make it seem like they don't get paid and are volunteers.

:blahblahblah::blahblahblah::blahblahblah: I'll be polite and just say, you have a vivid imagination. I never said or implied either. I know they are paid (underpaid IMHO) and they are NOT volunteers but rather PROFESSIONAL. You are also wrong from the beginning of your reply..... they don't recommend a NO vote..... they recommend a YES vote.
Page 10A in Friday's paper.

Visit them..... talk to them..... visit their web site. EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE ISSUE BEFORE POSTING. :ho:

No, you didn't answer the question which is why would they recommend a no vote ? They have a lot to gain from recommending the yes vote. They can not educate me because they're standard answer is that's up to the Sumter County Board of Commissioners. I still find it hard to believe that a lurker for 20 years all of a sudden decides to get an account and start posting here. Somebody with a start date of June 2022 __________________________________________________ _____________________.:yuck::yuck::yuck: By the way, I still haven't decided, but some pushy posters here are really bringing out the no vote in me.

Hmmmmmm........won't go there:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

I believe she said to educate yourself.

Depending on the what the question is, the answer, "that's up to the Sumter County Board of Commissioners," could be exactly right.

If the question is, "what will my tax bill be?" that answer depends on quite a few things. Your tax bill is made up of:
- Property tax: Determined by the value of your property as set by the property appraiser and the tax rate set by the Sumter County Board of Commissioners
- School tax: Determined by the value of your property as set by the property appraiser and the tax rate set by the school board
- Water management fee: Determined by the value of your property as set by the property appraiser and the tax rate set by the SWFWMD board
- Maintenance fee: set by the CDD board
- Bond: Set by the bank and adjusted based on the investment decisions made by the CDD board
- Fire Assessment: $124 but I believe there is currently a $125 cap that can also be raised.
- IFD assessment: (there have been dozens of posts about this and an online calculator to use)

So the answer to "what will my tax bill be?" or even, "how will my tax bill change?" something the fire department just cannot answer. Not because anything is being hidden and not because of some conspiracy. It cannot be answered by the fire department simply because the IFD will have control over only a small portion of the bill.

Decisions by the Sumter County Property Appraiser, Sumter County School Board, and Sumter County Board of Commissioners will have much more impact on your tax bill than than the IFD will have.

I guess I should feel honored that the 3 most prolific posters in this thread commented on my post. Suprised nobody brought up the whole fire impact fee that other counties charge on new properties.

Interesting thought on fire impact fees. Some counties in Florida charge developers a one time fire impact fee for new construction. (e.g. Orange County) I don’t think the Villlages Developer would be required to pay any fire impact fees on new houses if we pass the independent fire department. The rest of Sumter County that is not in the boundaries of The Villages is also being heavily developed with all the new developments spread around Wildwood and the county would still need to provide increased fire protection for this area. Also, more schools may have to be built in the county because of all the new homes and apartments being built. Taxes may have to be increased.

************** endorsed of the new Fire District?
 

Was surprised by this editorial by the other Villages news media. Must be GOOD thing since they are the balancing news to the Daily Sun! Now both organizations have officially endorsed the amendment.

https://www.**************.com/2022/...ct-referendum/

The ONLY criterion that should be used here is, will the service be better or not? Judging by the reaction to the ambulance service (and I realize they're not the same thing) the answer is yes.

Since I cannot put in the link, try searching for villagers-should-vote-in-their-own-self-interests-on-independent-fire-district-referendum if you do not see the editorial. It was posted yesterday. Also found the editorial by searching for "vote" on the alternate news sight.

Service should not be the only criterion. Cost should be a criterion. Management should be a criterion. The effect on the rest of Sumter County should be a criterion.

Problem is, much of the other criteria seem to be somewhat thinly-disguised versions of "but the developer will make MONEYYYYY if it approved".

Personally I don't give two hoots in hell if the developer makes money or not. A delay in service of mere minutes can cost thousands of dollars in lost property or lives. That is what matters.

If this passes, and the developer is making money, then could there be less money available for running the fire department? Wouldn't that eventually hurt response times?

How can it be both better and worse?

First Post.
Welcome to ToTV.


Could be more money, could be less money, could be the same money.

With change, comes change and the definition of better vs. worse varies.

:shocked: