[mickey100]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Folks I am not interested in name calling nor pre-judging. Instead I would suggest that the folks being called negative are only delivering bad news not creating it . People were not appaulding Ritchie for her campaign against the Developer but only because they finally had a factual accounting and in fact the only accountig of this IRS action which force the Developer via Daily Sun and the VCCDD to begin reporting on it

As to the appraisal issue perhaps you folksshould read the filings ? If you did you would get an eye full We as residents do no know if the allegations are true or untrue but if true then the basis for valuing assets well overstated and the income stream from amenities also overstated. Lastly this process only used appraisal firms, etc that were used excusively by the Developer and upon which the Developer had exclusive control. The same firms he is still using in connection with developing T he Villages. If true it was a conflict of interest and we did not have the benefit of independent verification. It would be like Iran having their people verify that they have not built nukes and the USA agreeing to it

Excellent post.

[Mack184]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Be aware that on this forum no one I have ever known has ever spent any time with any member of the Morse family especially and including me.

There are those like me that are impressed by the success of the builders family business plan and how it adds to our own happiness. I see the obvious things, the cleanliness, the beauty of the miles of pristinely kept landscaping, the beautifully outfitted and maintained rec centers and town squares. I lived next to Odell Rec center and witnessed it being painted every year, together with all of the structures on the grounds and watched the wall dividing our property from the rec center being power washed and the planting beds adjacent to it being weeded.

After paying a lot of money over a lot of years for golf, I could play the nine hole executive courses here for the trail fee, drive my own cart to all 34 of them and enjoy watching my husband play any of the 12 championship courses after watching him work for over 55 years.

I witnessed people from all walks of life and many levels of income enjoy the life previously enjoyed by only the very wealthy and privileged and all of us paid the same amenity fee of about $140 a month.

I saw them have available many country club restaurants with decent food and affordable selections and watched most of them increase their activity levels by moving about more with all kinds of physical and educational activities.

And I also heard that the developer owned a yacht, three airplanes, a ranch in Montana and had become a billionaire. Now that didn't surprise me as I know for a fact that if you work hard with a good idea in this country you can become rich indeed.

But being rich seems to **** a lot of people off and being on the OTHER side of the political aisle seems to annoy a lot of folks too.

Many prospective villagers and new villagers are NOT prepared for deed restrictions or any restrictions and do NOT like the CDD form of government.

There are those who have been realtors all of their lives and still work for local MLS agencies but are not allowed to sell the builders new homes. There are those who dislike the builders political party contributions and the obviously slanted Daily Sun that he established. There are those that have not been hired to work for the Morse empire or let go by them. There are those who are developing other communities nearby. There are those people who are just plain jealous of the success of this place and don't live here.

There are those who don't like The Morse Clan and never met them and folks who are fans and equally not familiar with them.

I am going to say that perhaps if I really KNEW Gary Morse, I wouldn't like him.

But since I don't know him and judge him only on his accomplishments, I think he and his dad were geniuses to take a lot of not very interesting land in the center of Florida, in a county with one of the lowest employment rates and turn it into the county with the highest employment rate in the state and the fastest growing area in Florida and the fourth in the country. Those unseen Morses created here a place that this 73 year old woman and the love of fifty plus years have found joy and so many opportunities for fun and a new and exciting life that was never before a choice for senior citizens anywhere on this earth.

:bowd own:
You are The BOMB G-Person!!!
XO
Mack

[SMills]

Amen Graciegirl, Amen!!!

[mrdarcy]

My view is today is all you have right now, so enjoy today and be grateful for it.

[ilovetv]

WELL SAID, Gracie!

This quote of yours says so much of the central issue at hand:

"I witnessed people from all walks of life and many levels of income enjoy the life previously enjoyed by only the very wealthy and privileged and all of us paid the same amenity fee of about $140 a month.

I saw them have available many country club restaurants with decent food and affordable selections and watched most of them increase their activity levels by moving about more with all kinds of physical and educational activities."

The same people who condemn the developers for being "millionaires and billionaires", "greedy" and "not paying their fair share" are the same ones who conveniently omit how much the developers "give back"--unnecessarily--to "the little people" enjoying life here in a home that costs a "mere" $85,000 to $200,000.

[downeaster]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Folks I am not interested in name calling nor pre-judging. Instead I would suggest that the folks being called negative are only delivering bad news not creating it . People were not appaulding Ritchie for her campaign against the Developer but only because they finally had a factual accounting and in fact the only accountig of this IRS action which force the Developer via Daily Sun and the VCCDD to begin reporting on it

As to the appraisal issue perhaps you folksshould read the filings ? If you did you would get an eye full We as residents do no know if the allegations are true or untrue but if true then the basis for valuing assets well overstated and the income stream from amenities also overstated. Lastly this process only used appraisal firms, etc that were used excusively by the Developer and upon which the Developer had exclusive control. The same firms he is still using in connection with developing T he Villages. If true it was a conflict of interest and we did not have the benefit of independent verification. It would be like Iran having their people verify that they have not built nukes and the USA agreeing to it

I am a bit confused by your statements, Rubicon. On one hand you state the Developer's appraisers were used and then you say "if true it was a conflict of interest".

I assume the Developer used his appraisers findings when he responded to the IRS claim. Did the IRS use the same appraisals? Seems unlikely.

I do not always agree with your positions but I respect them. I think you have studied this situation and your input has been helpful. It would be even more helpful if you would clarify the highlighted portions of your post.

[KeepingItReal]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

WELL SAID, Gracie!

The same people who condemn the developers for being "millionaires and billionaires", "greedy" and "not paying their fair share" are the same ones who conveniently omit how much the developers "give back"--unnecessarily--to "the little people" enjoying life here in a home that costs a "mere" $85,000 to $200,000.

Most extremely wealthy people do some amazing things for the good of humanity as a whole like bulding a new school or hospital which will not directly benefit themselves financially other than maybe being named after them.

Are there any such things out there anywhere we should know about that have been done by the developer here?

Maybe that would help all feel better if they knew more about the generosity shown when it did not directly benefit them. Don't think selling anyone a house here would qualify as an example.

No such thing as little people. The life they live and the kind of person they are is what matters not the bank account.

[graciegirl]

Most of us already feel better.

[mickey100]

that's a good question. I've always wondered that myself.

[KeepingItReal]

Originally Posted by ilovetv
WELL SAID, Gracie!
The same people who condemn the developers for being "millionaires and billionaires", "greedy" and "not paying their fair share" are the same ones who conveniently omit how much the developers "give back"--unnecessarily--to "the little people" enjoying life here in a home that costs a "mere" $85,000 to $200,000.

Originally Posted by KeepingItReal

Most extremely wealthy people do some amazing things for the good of humanity as a whole like bulding a new school or hospital which will not directly benefit themselves financially other than maybe being named after them.

Are there any such things out there anywhere we should know about that have been done by the developer here?

Maybe that would help all feel better if they knew more about the generosity shown when it did not directly benefit them. Don't think selling anyone a house here would qualify as an example.

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Most of us already feel better.

How about helping the rest feel better and those that would just like to know and list for us just a few things or at least one thing, it sure could not hurt.

This way all would see that the loyalty and admiration a lot of folks have is not misguided nor misplaced..and it would provide an opportunity to prove so many wrong.

Please tell us some of the things the developers "give back"--unnecessarily--to "the little people" as noted above.

Please just note or give us a short list of the things done for others large or small that did not benefit (in some way) or put $$ into the pocket of the developer and that will do it. Maybe a large contribution to medical research or a homeless shelter.

There must be at least a few things since he was a 2.5 Billionaire some time ago per Bloomberg. It would sure help everyone to be a little more understanding.

EXAMPLE: Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul with a net worth of $2.7 Billion. In 2007, Oprah opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, a boarding school for poverty-stricken girls. Must have cost quite a few dollars but nothing compared to her billions.

As far as buying here it wasn't free for anyone and there is still a fee for most everything so ALL purchasers have only added to the developers wealth by buying here.

We are just a customer to the developer and nothing more. He had a product he needs to sell to increase his wealth and we are the customers that bought his product.

A considerable profit was made on every sale just like any other development. Additional profits continue each month.

I did not expect anything free as nothing is but there were lots of things conviently kept quiet about or hidden that should have been made clear to any new buyer and finding out about those things afterwards just causes a lot of distrust.

We should also know and remember that if we fail to pay even a single required bill or fee we will be met with another fee called a late fee at a minimum and possibly even legal proceedings so where is the love in that?

Thanks

[iaudit]

Originally Posted by KeepingItReal

Most extremely wealthy people do some amazing things for the good of humanity as a whole like bulding a new school or hospital which will not directly benefit themselves financially other than maybe being named after them.

Are there any such things out there anywhere we should know about that have been done by the developer here?

Maybe that would help all feel better if they knew more about the generosity shown when it did not directly benefit them. Don't think selling anyone a house here would qualify as an example.

He is very supportive of the American Cancer Relay For Life. NOT. It conflicts with where he wants our charity dollars to go.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by KeepingItReal;6***58

Originally Posted by ilovetv
WELL SAID, Gracie!
The same people who condemn the developers for being "millionaires and billionaires", "greedy" and "not paying their fair share" are the same ones who conveniently omit how much the developers "give back"--unnecessarily--to "the little people" enjoying life here in a home that costs a "mere" $85,000 to $200,000.



How about helping the rest feel better and those that would just like to know and list for us just a few things or at least one thing, it sure could not hurt.

This way all would see that the loyalty and admiration a lot of folks have is not misguided nor misplaced..and it would provide an opportunity to prove so many wrong.

Please tell us some of the things the developers "give back"--unnecessarily--to "the little people" as noted above.

Please just note or give us a short list of the things done for others large or small that did not benefit (in some way) or put $$ into the pocket of the developer and that will do it. Maybe a large contribution to medical research or a homeless shelter.

There must be at least a few things since he was a 2.5 Billionaire some time ago per Bloomberg. It would sure help everyone to be a little more understanding.

EXAMPLE: Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul with a net worth of $2.7 Billion. In 2007, Oprah opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, a boarding school for poverty-stricken girls. Must have cost quite a few dollars but nothing compared to her billions.

As far as buying here it wasn't free for anyone and there is still a fee for most everything so ALL purchasers have only added to the developers wealth by buying here.

We are just a customer to the developer and nothing more. He had a product he needs to sell to increase his wealth and we are the customers that bought his product.

A considerable profit was made on every sale just like any other development. Additional profits continue each month.

I did not expect anything free as nothing is but there were lots of things conviently kept quiet about or hidden that should have been made clear to any new buyer and finding out about those things afterwards just causes a lot of distrust.

We should also know and remember that if we fail to pay even a single required bill or fee we will be met with another fee called a late fee at a minimum and possibly even legal proceedings so where is the love in that?

Thanks

The part high lighted in red, I truly do not understand. But we have always paid our bills on time because our parents made us understand that not too was wrong and cheated the person who you owed..

A person who is in business to make money and makes money is not a terrible person. The developer employs thousands of people and enables thousands more to be employed. He doesn't put all of the money from the sales in his pocket. He enables the economy by buying supplies and paying wages.

If a person is very successful in business doesn't mean they are crooks. Admittedly some are and I feel you are convinced the developers are because of the incorrect charges on the bond that you found.

You are entitled to your opinion about them.

The Morses do make large contributions to one of the political parties but that won't help your opinion unless you are an advocate of that party.

As I have said before, maybe they are just all mean as snakes.

But it is not a sin to be rich. If you rise early and work hard and sacrifice and take risks with your own money, and save part of what you earn, you will probably after many years of long days and much worry become rich in this country. There is rich and there is RICH.

I am a little tired of people condemning the process of free enterprise in this country.

I hope that wasn't political.

The thing of it is, that NO ONE on this forum, as far as I can see really knows the family at all.

If you want to go to search and read about the Moffitt center you will enlighten yourselves about the change of venue of the Relay for Life.

[mickey100]

I also remember a while back the developer also put the brakes on bringing the Viet Nam Memorial Wall to The Villages. I have neve heard about the Morses supporting a charity, and am really curious if they do so. We hear so much about the 4 jets he owns, the multi million dollar yacht, his ownership of the Villages banks, local newspaper, a television channel and an AM radio station. His realty company controls 60 percent of the re-sale market in the Villages. He even owns the utility company. And before someone jumps in and says he deserves it all, he's such a wonderful businessman, don't bother. I agree - he knows his financial P's and Q's. That's not what this post is about. But why do we hear nothing about charitable contributions? The guy is supposedly worth $2.5 billion. If we google other billionaires we see plenty of charity donations - look at Gates, Buffet. Bloomberg, Ted Turner, and others. But I can't come up with a single charitable donation from the Morses.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by mickey100

I also remember a while back the developer also put the brakes on bringing the Viet Nam Memorial Wall to The Villages. I have neve heard about the Morses supporting a charity, and am really curious if they do so. We hear so much about the 4 jets he owns, the multi million dollar yacht, his ownership of the Villages banks, local newspaper, a television channel and an AM radio station. His realty company controls 60 percent of the re-sale market in the Villages. He even owns the utility company. And before someone jumps in and says he deserves it all, he's such a wonderful businessman, don't bother. I agree - he knows his financial P's and Q's. That's not what this post is about. But why do we hear nothing about charitable contributions? The guy is supposedly worth $2.5 billion. If we google other billionaires we see plenty of charity donations - look at Gates, Buffet. Bloomberg, Ted Turner, and others. But I can't come up with a single charitable donation from the Morses.

Mark Morse Kills Veterans Celebration and Vietnam Memorial Wall

[Moderator]

The topic is the recent news article about the IRS valuation of the sale of amenity assets to the central CDD.

This thread is straying far off track and will soon be closed if the discussion doesn't get back on topic.