[mickey100]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I know that I take things personally because this is my town,...I take it personally because I kind of identify with ..Mr. Morse who came here and due to some cussed dumb good luck, a lot of hard work, and scary chances I would have been to meek to take with any money I had, along with some wonderful ideas unused before has made a huge success. This place proves that free enterprise is a very good thing.I identify with most of his politics and I would certainly have done all of the same things he had done .... As a result he got rich, and then richer, and now mega rich.

I think that most of the criticism of what is WRONG with this place and the developer are based on envy and the fact that the Morses contribute to the party we aren't allowed to mention. The critics, most of them, don't belong to that party.


I think that some people are naïve to think that the goal of business is not to turn a profit.BUT In so doing, they employ people and keep the economy thriving as well as accumulate personal wealth. "Follow the Money" is an astute observation and also an unwarranted criticism.
....

In a nutshell, what you have said is that you are personally offended when people criticize actions of the developer, because he had a lot of good ideas and became rich. And further, if I read correctly, those that criticize the developer do so because they are jealous or because they don't belong to your political party quote: I think that most of the criticism of what is WRONG with this place and the developer are based on envy and the fact that the Morses contribute to the party we aren't allowed to mention. The critics, most of them, don't belong to that party.

Well, I feel this place is my hometown too, and I'd like to see it run the best it can be run. If that means noticing when things are not done right, and encouraging conversation on such topics, so be it. In the long run, that will make the Villages a better place. All in all, The Villages is a wonderful place to live, and we enjoy it here, but it is not perfect. I'm sorry you feel any comments that are critical to The Villages or to the Developer are politically motivated and that we are all so "jealous". You couldn't be more off base. And frankly, it just sounds like someone looking for excuses when reality and the facts don't stand up to independent scrutiny.

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I know that I take things personally because this is my town, my home, and the best run place I have ever lived and I have lived in some nice homes and areas. I take it personally because ANYONE who lives here lives like a rich person. ANYONE.


I take it personally because I kind of identify with a Midwesterner like Mr. Morse who came here and due to some cussed dumb good luck, a lot of hard work, and scary chances I would have been to meek to take with any money I had, along with some wonderful ideas unused before has made a huge success. This place proves that free enterprise is a very good thing.


I identify with most of his politics and I would certainly have done all of the same things he had done if I was that smart and that brave and that hard working. As a result he got rich, and then richer, and now mega rich.


I think that most of the criticism of what is WRONG with this place and the developer are based on envy and the fact that the Morses contribute to the party we aren't allowed to mention. The critics, most of them, don't belong to that party.


I think that some people are naïve to think that the goal of business is not to turn a profit.BUT In so doing, they employ people and keep the economy thriving as well as accumulate personal wealth. "Follow the Money" is an astute observation and also an unwarranted criticism.


If the developer had FAILED. We wouldn't all be here. There are glitches and mistakes in an operation as big as this, but I get annoyed when the same people. over and over, AND OVER are picking, picking PICKING.


I am by nature a positive person, but I didn't just fall off the turnip truck.


I wonder how this place would be if the naysayers ran it.

Gracie,
I think that one of the biggest contributors to the ludicrosity of some of the complaints is a lack of understanding as to how CDDs work and how The Villages is governed.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by Indydealmaker

Gracie,
I think that one of the biggest contributors to the ludicrosity of some of the complaints is a lack of understanding as to how CDDs work and how The Villages is governed.

Community Development Districts (CDD's) were never designed to be a vehicle for one individual to gather a handful of friends and family members and call themselves a government and issue tax-free bonds. Correct me, if I am wrong. Until then, we will just have to wait until the IRS totals up the amount of back taxes and penalties owed and keep paying the attorney's fees to protect the developer's bottom line. The last I heard, those attorney fees were close to one million dollars.

[rubicon]

I can only speak for myself. I have no personal malice toward the Developer ( Villages Lake Sumter, Inc), the AAC, Janet Tutt, POA, VHA.
I do have a business interest in every finanical transaction involving residents and me.

In this situation I would like to know what financial affect it has on residents and what residents? The financial Loss of this mistake
Who created the error? How the error can be prevented from happening again. And what can be done to contain damages?

The biggest obstacle I see is that some residents always default to "you just don't like the Developer" I cringe every time I read that statement because it is nonsensical irrelevant and doesn't do one thing to help us keep our financial house in order.

If you look closely at the leadership that is suppose to be prioritizing this communities needs you will see and hear that they act as if they were planning activities for people on a cruise line. This is one of the PROBLEMS associated with viewing THE VILLAGES as a VACATION DESTINATION rather than a RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. We have heavily invested our retirement dollars here as the last place many of us will settle.

The "You can live like a millionaire on your retirement saving" slogan is fool hearty, naive' and misrepresents the objectives and goals needed to sustain a viable community.

Residents might fair better if they would approach this as their home rather than a Disneyworld because it is affecting their common sense and good judgment

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by mickey100

Yes, we're all just a bunch of dumb, poor, residents who are jealous of the Morses wealth because we don't belong to their political party. Hmm, that's quite the conspiracy theory. Thanks for the chuckle.

Again Thanks Mickey. How anyone can say that the District Manager's position in not a 100% conflict of interest is beyond me. I am not saying the Developer is a bad person, or that Janet Tutt is a bad person, but I absolutely know in my mind believe the way the District managers position is filled is a conflict of interest. It is so simple, Janet tutt becomes District Manager thru the blessings of the Developer, The residents are responsible for paying her salary, The Central Districts Boards(elected by the developer) determine how much she will be paid. Good decisions that favor the developer probably means a higher salary, The developer wants to sell a rec center to the residents. So which side of the fence does the District Manager sit on to determing whether or not to accept a offer that might seem high???

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by JP

I can tell you what it would be like.

It would be like almost every city in our country that is run by a bunch of incompetent elected officials that don't have a clue how to run a city and have ruined the majority of them.

This place would no longer be the paradise it is. The beautifully clean and manicured road ways, golf courses and towns wouldn't exist because the money that was being used to maintain them would be spent on "entitlements", inflated union wages, and imposed government programs.

Add to the 'bunch of incompetent elected officials that don't have a clue how to run a city and have ruined the majority of them'.....the phrase "who constantly cultivate NO accountability to taxpayers".

The elected politicians' "game" is always to shift blame, accuse others, and cultivate lack of accountability and keep nobody identifiable with whom "the buck stops".

It makes a much better hiding place for the elected politicians whose #1 priority is getting re-elected, who spend like drunks and are too lazy, inept and glad-handed to own up to the problem so it can be fixed.

At least here, the developer IS held accountable to taxpayers because WE decide whether to buy a home and stay here (which feeds or kills all the millions of square feet of commercial real estate that's developer owned), and WE stay on top of the issues in question thru our voices in VHA and POA and right here on this board.

[mickey100]

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

Again Thanks Mickey. How anyone can say that the District Manager's position in not a 100% conflict of interest is beyond me. I am not saying the Developer is a bad person, or that Janet Tutt is a bad person, but I absolutely know in my mind believe the way the District managers position is filled is a conflict of interest. It is so simple, Janet tutt becomes District Manager thru the blessings of the Developer, The residents are responsible for paying her salary, The Central Districts Boards(elected by the developer) determine how much she will be paid. Good decisions that favor the developer probably means a higher salary, The developer wants to sell a rec center to the residents. So which side of the fence does the District Manager sit on to determing whether or not to accept a offer that might seem high???

WEll said. Its all out there in plain sight in black and white.

[mickey100]

Originally Posted by janmcn

Community Development Districts (CDD's) were never designed to be a vehicle for one individual to gather a handful of friends and family members and call themselves a government and issue tax-free bonds. Correct me, if I am wrong. Until then, we will just have to wait until the IRS totals up the amount of back taxes and penalties owed and keep paying the attorney's fees to protect the developer's bottom line. The last I heard, those attorney fees were close to one million dollars.

Exactly!!! I don't care what political party anyone belongs to. Why can people look at this situation and see nothing wrong?

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by mickey100

exactly!!! I don't care what political party anyone belongs to. Why can people look at this situation and see nothing wrong?

once again mickey, you are right on the mark. I marvel how at times people can be led along in some kind of blissful state. Jim jones was not a good man, yet, hundreds never questioned his motives or his intentions. I suppose i have the personality of a doubting thomas and challenge that which i think could and should be changed.

[mickey100]

Sometimes it takes a brave person to try to change things which we know are wrong.

[Indydealmaker]

Just a suggestion to reduce some of the carping.

Complaints about the developer might be taken more seriously if they had more credibility. IMO, those criticizing any business management team should share with their audience their credentials and backgrounds that qualify them to pass judgement.

Otherwise, it all sounds like monday morning quarterbacking, particularly when the posters involved have a history of posts infused with negative ions.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by mickey100

Exactly!!! I don't care what political party anyone belongs to. Why can people look at this situation and see nothing wrong?

I have never in my whole life been to, attended, signed up or gone to ANY political meeting or attended any rally political or otherwise. I have not gone to the squares when any political figure was here in The Villages, did not go when Fox News was here.


I don't go to political gatherings, nor do I post that political gatherings are happening or where they are.

The last book written by a politician I bought and read and still own is Dreams of My Father and I purchased it prior to this administration. I think it is the only one I bought and read by a politician. I never judge people by how much money they have or don't have. I am a realist...pretty much. I often want to say things that are not considered politically correct.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Yawn

[eweissenbach]

The Morse family and their corporations have done a marvelous job and have rightly become wealthy in so doing. They have provided a retirement haven like no other and their politics are of no concern to me. They are, however, not omnipotent or infallible. It seems to me that the discussion in this thread is focused on the AAC and the rightly criticized failure to give or get important information regarding the sale of the property in question. It is unquestionable that the developers have tight control of virtually everything that goes on in The Villages, so if something is handled poorly, or well they deserve some of the criticism or credit. They are not beyond questioning.

[mickey100]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

... It is unquestionable that the developers have tight control of virtually everything that goes on in The Villages, so if something is handled poorly, or well they deserve some of the criticism or credit. They are not beyond questioning.

Agreed. And whether or not someone belongs to a political party or goes to a political gathering is not germane to the conversation at hand.