[RedBaron]

This vote doesn’t affect ambulance service. That decision is set in stone and begins Oct. 1.

[RedBaron]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

The main reason we’re going through all this is because AMR, the independent ambulance service sucked. We were only one of several counties in the state to still use independents. No matter what the results are as to whether The Villages becomes a stand alone department, we will have our own in-house ambulance service. The ambulances have already been purchased.

Please! This does not affect ambulance service. It is already set in stone to start Oct.1.

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by RedBaron

Please! This does not affect ambulance service. It is already set in stone to start Oct.1.

I never said that the vote affected ambulance service. What started the ball rolling for an IFD was the county addressing the ambulance service. When they had their "Committee" meetings to address the sub-par ambulance service some of the proposals included combining The Villages Fire Department into the county. That didn't sit well with a lot of people. So here we are deciding whether we want to be our own fire district.

[G.R.I.T.S.]

Originally Posted by kansasr

The district government has posted a link where you can calculate what your new tax bill will be for the proposed fire district:
Florida Fire districts quicksearch
I suggest you check it out if you're a disabled veteran or even someone who has a significant save our homes deduction.
Neither of these benefits are applicable for the fire district assessment. Instead, it is based upon the total market value (relative improvement value)
Depending upon the level of disable veteran discount and/or save our homes allowances, property taxes could increase anywhere from 15% to 25%.
I seriously doubt the homes are going to see a similar reduction in their Sumter County taxes when the adjustment is calculated for the new fire district.

I believe that's the way it's always been...an "above the line" item relating to tax exemptions. Brett Hage didn't "leave that one" for us, as stated in another reply.

[Luggage]

so you prefer to wait one hour for an ambulance to save a few bucks ?

[john352]

Originally Posted by Bilyclub

Are any meetings such as the County Board and CDD Districts recorded and put on YouTube ? It would be nice if this fire district information meeting was put online.

POA SPECIAL MEETING

September 29, 2022, • 7 pm

LAUREL MANOR RECREATION CENTER

Speaker: The Villages Fire Chief Edmund Cain

Topic: Proposed Independent Fire District

This meeting will NOT be live streamed, but it will be videotaped and should be available the next day on the POA website.

You only need a Village ID to attend the meeting live.
It only costs $10 per year per household to join the POA this year; the cost is $15 starting Jan 1, 2023.

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by john352

POA SPECIAL MEETING

September 29, 2022, • 7 pm

LAUREL MANOR RECREATION CENTER

Speaker: The Villages Fire Chief Edmund Cain

Topic: Proposed Independent Fire District

This meeting will NOT be live streamed, but it will be videotaped and should be available the next day on the POA website.

You only need a Village ID to attend the meeting live.
It only costs $10 per year per household to join the POA this year; the cost is $15 starting Jan 1, 2023.

Thanks

[Romad]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

I never said that the vote affected ambulance service. What started the ball rolling for an IFD was the county addressing the ambulance service. When they had their "Committee" meetings to address the sub-par ambulance service some of the proposals included combining The Villages Fire Department into the county. That didn't sit well with a lot of people. So here we are deciding whether we want to be our own fire district.

Yes, the county supervisors addressed the ambulance issue.

The fire department mafia hijacked the committee so they could be completely independent and raise as much as they wanted…from us. For all the gnashing of teeth over the property tax increase a few years ago, this will make that look like small change.

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by Romad

Yes, the county supervisors addressed the ambulance issue.

The fire department mafia hijacked the committee so they could be completely independent and raise as much as they wanted…from us. For all the gnashing of teeth over the property tax increase a few years ago, this will make that look like small change.

Now your colors are showing..

[TrapX]

I'm still trying to understand the funding. Not just mine, but for the entire proposal. The more I look at several published sources, the more I see they collectively they don't seem to add up.
It's been publicly stated that the fire budget will be the same no matter if the district is approved or not. The money comes from taxing residential properties plus commercial properties. Budget = Resident + Commercial
On The Villages Independent Fire Control and Rescue District it shows both taxes are going up. That math fails. Is the budget going way up? Is money being diverted to be spent elsewhere? Are other commercial properties going to get a huge reduction? Why are these types of questions not getting answered?

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by TrapX

I'm still trying to understand the funding. Not just mine, but for the entire proposal. The more I look at several published sources, the more I see they collectively they don't seem to add up.
It's been publicly stated that the fire budget will be the same no matter if the district is approved or not. The money comes from taxing residential properties plus commercial properties. Budget = Resident + Commercial
On The Villages Independent Fire Control and Rescue District it shows both taxes are going up. That math fails. Is the budget going way up? Is money being diverted to be spent elsewhere? Are other commercial properties going to get a huge reduction? Why are these types of questions not getting answered?

Why are these questions not getting answered? Well, where were they asked? ToTV is not an official communications channel with the VPSD, VCCDD, or BoCC so it is no surprise that no official answer has been posted here. If the questions have been presented through appropriate channels then that *should* receive an official answer.

My guess: The "numbers people" came up with the chart and most of the officials at the Q&A sessions don't know the answer.

My current thinking: Either the 0.71mils used for the "Current Process" was completely made up or it is misleading. In any case, it isn't a number you can easily find on your tax bill and is not a true indication of how much the current service costs.

I used numbers from the FY 22-23 Proforma Budget Doc to find how much is currently being collected for fire services and how much is being sent to the VPSD.

From my calculations it seems that 1.65mils of our property taxes are used to fund the two fire services with about 0.67mils going to the VPSD. This is pretty close to the 0.71mils used for the "Current Process" column.

However, this is 0.67mils collected from everyone in the county. If the IFD is passed then the funding will only come from the 75% of the county that resides within the new district. To get to the same funding with only 75% of the properties something close to 0.89mils will need to be collected.

So to my mind, a better "Current Process" column would use 0.89mils and would show larger numbers. But since the table doesn't use that higher millage it makes it looks like everyone's taxes will increase in order to keep the budget number the same (which doesn't make sense).

This also suggests an answer to another question about the accuracy of the Assessment Rate Calculator. The "Simplified Method" collects 0.75mils but it looks like 0.89mils is needed to keep the IFD funding at the same level as the current VPSD funding. This might explain why the Calculator adds 0.1mils for the ad-valorem portion of the assessment.

NOTE: Since both the VPSD and the SCFD funding will be removed from the General Fund in 2024 we should look for our millage to be reduced from the 2024 rollback rate by about 1.65mils. The current projection for the 2024 budget does not seem to show this, even with another large increase in the tax base. Either fire service funding is coming from another source hiding in the revenue side or there is a tax increase planned. We need to watch for this and ask questions next year.

[Sandy and Ed]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

I find this very confusing. Is there any possibility that, before the election, there will be informational meetings where both sides can present the arguments for and against the new district? And take questions from the audience?

That would be more useful than having the issue discussed on TOTV?

They did and they closed me down when asked how they could initially fund the bricks and mortar, equipment and response infrastructure for the substantial area south of the villages that will be included in the new district. Pretty sure we will be seeing an additional mil added to the bill to fund this capital outlay. Also probably layers of bureaucracy. Lipstick on a pig.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

They did and they closed me down when asked how they could initially fund the bricks and mortar, equipment and response infrastructure for the substantial area south of the villages that will be included in the new district. Pretty sure we will be seeing an additional mil added to the bill to fund this capital outlay. Also probably layers of bureaucracy. Lipstick on a pig.

The ad valorem amount cannot be greater than 1 mil without another referendum to increase it. We cannot see "an additional mil added to the bill" since we can only see 1 mil max.

One way they *could* fund the infrastructure for the growth in the new southern area is through the same method used in the past. Another way they *could* fund it is through the 1 mil provided for in the current referendum. In either case, any new stations required by that growth will exist and will be funded; the existence of the IFD does not change that at all.

Layers of bureaucracy? Five Commissioners.

[Sabella]

Originally Posted by john352

It will be covered in the October issue of the POA Bulletin.

The property owners association (POA) is committed to acting as a watchdog to ensure that the Developer and local government are responsive to the needs, interests and rights of residents. October issue says no support for this- now. READ IT - READ the reasons stated and hopefully you will vote against it for now.

[twoplanekid]

Originally Posted by Luggage

so you prefer to wait one hour for an ambulance to save a few bucks ?

I still have many questions as to the increase in costs. However, it is my understanding that the new ambulances are already in service by the Village Fire Services so the issue of wait time will not improve or diminish with the approval or not of this New Fire District. But cost will increase at a larger rate if a new Fire District is created?