[Advogado]

The Landslide Vote to Roll Back the Property-Tax Increase by Increasing Impact Fees. The subject of impact fees and property taxes is complex and not very sexy. However, the combination of a sweetheart impact fee for the Developer and higher property taxes for Sumter County residents to pay for the Developer's county roads and other infrastructure results in each of us giving the Developer an annual gift of hundreds of dollars. The residents woke up to that fact last year. We tossed out three developer puppet Commissioners (Butler, Burgess, and Printz) and elected County Commissioners Estep, Miller, and Search (the “EMS team”) in a landslide, resulting in the EMS team having a majority on the 5-member Commission.

That landslide occurred because of the EMS team's campaign promise to roll back the massive 25% property-tax hike. That tax hike had been enacted, in 2019, by the Developer's puppet Commissioners, in order to protect the Developer's sweetheart impact fee (which is about 5% of what he would be required to pay in Collier County, where developers don't control the County Commission). The EMS team proposed to roll back the tax hike by requiring the Developer to finally start paying for the County infrastructure necessitated by the massive expansion of The Villages, instead of continuing to offload that cost on to the current residents. In other words, the impact-fee increase would finance the property-tax rollback.

The Developer's Frustrating the Will of the Residents. It now looks like the Developer may have been successful in frustrating the will of Sumter County residents, thereby potentially saving himself hundreds of millions of dollars at our expense. The Developer's apparent success was accomplished via the following actions:
Lobbying. Successfully convincing Commissioners Estep and Search not to immediately push forward with their promise to increase impact fees and reduce property-taxes. (Commissioner Miller stood his ground.) The delay gave the Developer time to marshal his campaign to preserve his sweetheart impact fee.
Propaganda Campaign. A propaganda campaign in the Developer's Daily Sun to distort the facts, attack the EMS team, and oppose the impact-fee increase-- falsely labeling it as a “tax increase”, rather than as a tax shifting from current residents to the Developer. The Daily Sun's propaganda campaign has been abetted by the little group of Developer loyalists who still control the local Republican Party. They have launched a series of personal attacks on fellow Republicans Estep, Miller, and Search-- despite the fact that we rank-and-file Republicans overwhelming voted for those three.
Packing Commission Meetings. Packing the County Commission meetings with employees of his suppliers and with his other cohorts and filling the parking lot with their heavy equipment.
State Legislation Co-sponsored by an Employee of the Developer. Finally, playing his ace in the hole by having the Florida legislature pass statewide legislation (co-sponsored by the Developer's employee-legislator, Brett Hage) that handcuffs local governments that attempt to require developers to pay for their own infrastructure. The legislation was unsuccessfully opposed by the League of Florida Cities and the Florida Association of Counties because it will devastate local governments' ability to finance new schools, police and fire facilities, parks, libraries, sewers, etc. However, cities and counties don't make campaign contributions. Developers make big ones. For more details, click here: FL legislators bigfoot local government to benefit big-money developers | Florida Phoenix

The Angeliadis Fishing Expedition. Those actions by the Developer were supplemented by a public-records-request fishing expedition conducted by attorney George Angeliadis. That fishing expedition was obviously intended to try to turn up dirt on, and harass and intimidate, Estep, Miller, and Search--as well as their supporters. The fishing expedition failed to turn up any dirt because there is no dirt to turn up. Angeliadis still refuses to identify his well-heeled client who paid him for his efforts, and the remaining two Developer-puppet Commissioners (Gilpin and Breeden) refuse to reveal what they know about it. Could the mysterious client possibly be the Developer? For a video on the fishing expedition, click here: George Angeliadis Open Records Request - YouTube

So, Did the Residents Win the Battle but Lose the War? The residents of Sumter County clearly won the first battle by tossing out three of the Developer's puppet Commissioners in the last election. However, as a result of the Developer's actions, culminating in the new state legislation, it certainly looks like we, along with other residents throughout the whole state, have lost the war to roll back our tax increase. But next year, the remaining two Developer puppet Commissioners are up for re-election, as is the Developer's employee, State Representative Brett Hage. Maybe the war isn't over yet.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

This one part here:

Finally, playing his ace in the hole by having the Florida legislature pass statewide legislation (co-sponsored by the Developer's employee-legislator, Brett Hage) that handcuffs local governments that attempt to require developers to pay for their own infrastructure.

They're not entirely handcuffed. They have options. They can reject permits. They can change zoning requirements, and then reject a developer's plans based on new zoning requirements that forbid whatever it is they're trying to do. They can reject any request for exceptions or setbacks. They can tell them "sure, you can built this and that and the other thing. And no, we can't make you pay for the road leading to it, or the retention ponds needed to keep it from flooding. But - WE aren't going to pay for that either. Oh and by the way, we also now require sidewalks, which we will also not pay for."

[Stu from NYC]

I believe the impact fee the developer pays can be raised each year so if this is done will bring up the amount in a few years.

[Papa_lecki]

And the developer could raise the rent on the millions of sq feet of commercial real estate it owns and rents - which will mean the tenants will raise their prices.

I don’t think a 25% real estate increase makes sense either.

[Bogie Shooter]

Next, vote out the EMS team.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Next, vote out the EMS team.

I suspect the last two puppets go next.

[eyc234]

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
The giant wanted to negotiate and it was slapped in the face. Like it or not, it is the way things work and if you do not believe it you are naive. Look at any stadium built for a sports team and you see what happens. Negotiation gets you some of what you want and trying to slap your adversary down can get you an ass whopping. I do not agree or totally disagree with the process but understand the process and how to best work in and around it. Obviously the new guys do not understand or want to get the best for the constituents they are suppose to represent. As many have said, still waiting on the 25% rollback they promised!! No answer to this question every time it is asked.

[Advogado]

Originally Posted by eyc234

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
The giant wanted to negotiate and it was slapped in the face. Like it or not, it is the way things work and if you do not believe it you are naive. Look at any stadium built for a sports team and you see what happens. Negotiation gets you some of what you want and trying to slap your adversary down can get you an ass whopping. I do not agree or totally disagree with the process but understand the process and how to best work in and around it. Obviously the new guys do not understand or want to get the best for the constituents they are suppose to represent. As many have said, still waiting on the 25% rollback they promised!! No answer to this question every time it is asked.

I think that my original post answers your question.

As explained in detail in that post and, as was made clear in the last election campaign, the property-tax rollback can only happen if there is a corresponding increase in the Developer's sweetheart impact fee. (The revenue to pay for County infrastructure necessitated by the Developer's massive expansion of The Villages has to come from somewhere.) It now appears that the Developer has been successful in preventing that impact-fee increase from occurring. Ergo, it appears that, because of the Developer's actions and despite the overwhelming vote of Sumter County residents, a property-tax rollback is NOT going to occur-- at least not in the immediate future.

Developer: 1 Current Residents: 0

Remember, every time that you pay your property tax, you are, in essence, writing a check to the Developer in the amount of your tax increase. This is because you are paying for roads and other county infrastructure that he should be paying for via a reasonable impact fee.

[Advogado]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

I believe the impact fee the developer pays can be raised each year so if this is done will bring up the amount in a few years.

The limits and restrictions prevent a significant increase in impact fees, which is why cities and counties opposed the House and Senate bills and why the developers pushed it.

[Northwoods]

Originally Posted by eyc234

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
The giant wanted to negotiate and it was slapped in the face. Like it or not, it is the way things work and if you do not believe it you are naive. Look at any stadium built for a sports team and you see what happens. Negotiation gets you some of what you want and trying to slap your adversary down can get you an ass whopping. I do not agree or totally disagree with the process but understand the process and how to best work in and around it. Obviously the new guys do not understand or want to get the best for the constituents they are suppose to represent. As many have said, still waiting on the 25% rollback they promised!! No answer to this question every time it is asked.

I agree with you. The Developer offered 40% Impact Fees. I feel the commissioners should have tried to negotiate. Maybe they could have gotten a better deal. We will never know. The new commissioners ran on a "stick it to the Developer" platform, so they could never try to negotiate. It would have been viewed as "giving in" even if it would have been a better outcome for Sumter residents.

The new commissioners have to realize The Developer is a very wealthy adversary that has a lot of "assets/connections" at his disposal. So figure out how to work with him so each side can feel good about the outcome. If they continue to try to stick it to The Developer I believe it will be Sumter residents (specifically Villagers) that will suffer.

[Northwoods]

Originally Posted by Advogado

I think that my original post answers your question.

As explained in detail in that post and, as was made clear in the last election campaign, the property-tax rollback can only happen if there is a corresponding increase in the Developer's sweetheart impact fee. (The revenue to pay for County infrastructure necessitated by the Developer's massive expansion of The Villages has to come from somewhere.) It now appears that the Developer has been successful in preventing that impact-fee increase from occurring. Ergo, it appears that, because of the Developer's actions and despite the overwhelming vote of Sumter County residents, a property-tax rollback is NOT going to occur-- at least not in the immediate future.

Developer: 1 Current Residents: 0

Remember, every time that you pay your property tax, you are, in essence, writing a check to the Developer in the amount of your tax increase. This is because you are paying for roads and other county infrastructure that he should be paying for via a reasonable impact fee.

I guess my view is: Developer 1 Commissioners: 0

You have to know your adversary. It's like playing against the Patriots (and trust me... I hate the Patriots so I'm only using that analogy because they have dominated football in recent history), You can either bury your head in the sand and whine because you lost... or you can understand what you are up against and realize you have a formidable foe.

As you said... Developer 1. So commissioners have to figure out how to win in this environment. Whining that the adversary is bigger or stronger probably isn't going to work in the long term.

[merrymini]

Getting the three out was good. Replacing them with these guys doesn’t look so hot. Costs have to go up over time but the 25 percent increase all at once was stupid. If they were stupid in this judgement made, could they be just as stupid making others judgements? May be this pendulum will swing back to the middle but only if we can vote for people who are committed to doing so. By the way, these jobs are not as easy as you might think and there are rules to play by.

[DIver0258]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

This one part here:


They're not entirely handcuffed. They have options. They can reject permits. They can change zoning requirements, and then reject a developer's plans based on new zoning requirements that forbid whatever it is they're trying to do. They can reject any request for exceptions or setbacks. They can tell them "sure, you can built this and that and the other thing. And no, we can't make you pay for the road leading to it, or the retention ponds needed to keep it from flooding. But - WE aren't going to pay for that either. Oh and by the way, we also now require sidewalks, which we will also not pay for."

The legislation signed by the governor does limit impact fee annual increases but allows counties when meeting certain criteria to raise impact fees above the limits of the law.

To invoke cost prohibitive requirements of developers with the actions quoted is non productive and childlike. Such actions will create a legal nightmare for the county. Once precedents are set, (sidewalks, setbacks, roads, etc...) this will be have to be applied forward to all development in the county.

New tax revenue resulting from 2500+ new homes built by The Villages will be a huge revenue stream for Sumter County. Not to mention the additional tax revenue from the commercial development that supports the growth. These revenue streams will continue to provide funds for the county coffers annually at an ever increasing amount. A 50 million investment in road infrastructure will create a huge return in years to come.

A common sense perspective was to negotiate the impact fee deal offered by The Villages and move forward. Since our commission decided that was not in their constituants best interest, they now must work with in the new law to make any progress on impact fees.

It is better to work for the best interests of all parties involved, keeping focus on the issue at hand, lowering property taxes.

Hopefully our commission has learned from this experience and will be able to proceed better equipped to address similar situations in the future.

When decisions are made from a personal agenda instead of a professional agenda the end result falls far short of the mark.

[Billy1]

Stop the excuses, EMS, and roll back the 25% tax increase like you promised. Stop listening to your controllers and work for the people. I never believed the three of you and didn't vote for you.

[airdale2]

QUOTE=Stu from NYC;1947283]I believe the impact fee the developer pays can be raised each year so if this is done will bring up the amount in a few years.[/QUOTE]

Do the math, Lake county fees run about $12,000 while Sumpter County is about $2,000
Most villagers will not live long enough to see it balance out at the rate of 3 percent per year.