[DeanFL]

Surprised there is no feedback/info posted on ToTV re last night's meeting. We tried to attend but traffic backup and full parking at Colony.

A few posts are on Nextdoor site - here's 2>

Approximately 10 - 12 county residents spoke and/or asked questions during the public forum session. These brave residents were brilliant. Unfortunately some of the sharpest questions were never answered.

I attended the meeting last night. They had to postpone talking about the tax increase as the room could not accomodate all the concerned people who attended. They will be announcing another venue within the next two weeks and everyone interested should attend. The numbers they are offering do not add up.

Did anyone attend and have concrete info?

[Bogie Shooter]

Daily Sun today, Page A8.

[manaboutown]

Perhaps Florida could use legislation analogous to Proposition 13 which limits property tax increases to 2% per year. Tax increase limitation is especially appropriate for Florida as it is the retiree capitol of the country. 1978 California Proposition 13 - Wikipedia

Starting back in 2001 NM residential real estate taxes were limited to an increase of 3% per year. This provision does not apply to commercial property much of which is hit by what locally is known as "tax lightning" every two or three years. Owners of commercial property keep a wary eye out and file appeals which can take months to process. Some tax lightning is outrageous, doubling and tripling valuations. JSTOR: Access Check

[Velvet]

For those of us who for some reason cannot attend the meetings, it would be nice to get an unbiased summary of the meeting. I don’t think I would trust any media source that has a vested interest in a particular outcome.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Velvet

For those of us who for some reason cannot attend the meetings, it would be nice to get an unbiased summary of the meeting. I don’t think I would trust any media source that has a vested interest in a particular outcome.

How will you tell if the person attending and then providing a summary...…..is or is not biased?
Best to get as much info you can and make up your own mind.
Where did you get the unheard of idea of not trusting the media?

[Velvet]

You can’t tell completely if they are not biased but if several people report the same incident and the information tends to be factual which you can check from other sources, it gives you a good idea. I always try to take into account where the other person is coming from, to see things from their perspective, if I can. And what is in their best interest to say.

[DeanFL]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Daily Sun today, Page A8.

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

How will you tell if the person attending and then providing a summary...…..is or is not biased?
Best to get as much info you can and make up your own mind.
Where did you get the unheard of idea of not trusting the media?

My initial post and question was>

Did anyone attend and have concrete info?

NOT> Was it in the paper, or What's your opinion.

Can't anyone post something here and not get questioned? Some folks here that simply HAVE to speak their mind.

[DeanFL]

FOR THOSE WHO CARE, here is a copy of the text from an article in that 'online news' source. This appears to be a report from the named reporter who had attended the meeting>


Capacity crowd rails against tax hike before Sumter Commission

By Marv Balousek - July 23, 2019


Villagers and other area residents questioned everything from the proposed 24 percent tax increase to construction trucks driving on Villages roadways to the amount of money needed in special reserve funds to why The Villages continued to build south of County Road 44 during Tuesday night’s Sumter County Commission meeting at the Colony Cottage Recreation Center.


More than 500 people descended on the Sumter County Board of Commissioners Tuesday to protest a proposed 24 percent increase in property taxes in the county’s 2019-20 budget.

Only 404 of them got into the meeting at the Colony Cottage Recreation Center due to capacity restrictions, while others waited outside chanting their opposition to the tax hike.

The issue was not on the agenda, but commissioners and County Administrator Bradley Arnold accommodated the crowd by offering details during the public forum portion of the meeting.

The proposed budget would increase county taxes for the first time in 15 years, setting the tax rate at $6.70 per $1,000 assessed valuation.

That rate is $1.67 above the rolled back rate of $5.03, which is the rate needed to collect the same amount of revenue as the previous year. The owner of a $300,000 home with a $50,000 Florida homestead credit would pay $1,675 in county property taxes next year, an increase of $340.88.

A property owner’s tax bill also includes assessments for municipal and school taxes, as well as fire services.

Next month, the county will issue its official notice of the tax rate. Public hearings on the proposed budget will be held in September, with adoption by the end of the month. The budget goes into effect Oct. 1.

County Administrator Bradley Arnold
The county’s rapid growth provides more property tax revenue, but Arnold said the revenue increases often lag behind infrastructure expenses.

Sumter County’s population currently is estimated at 128,000 and Arnold said small-county benefits, such as stipends for road resurfacing, disappear as it approaches 150,000.

“We are not a rural county anymore,” he said. “We are becoming a metropolitan county.”

Arnold said road improvements and a new fire station that opened on Morse Boulevard south of State Road 44 are examples of infrastructure that precede development revenue. No homes are yet in the fire station area.

State mandates, such as providing increased school security, also boost county expenditures, he said. Eight new sheriff’s deputy positions are proposed in next year’s budget.

Major budget expenses include resurfacing of Morse and Buena Vista boulevards. About $7.8 million in trust fund money is earmarked for resurfacing Morse Boulevard between county roads 466 and 466A, while resurfacing eight miles of Buena Vista Boulevard to SR 44 will cost about $7 million. Another $20 million will be spent on the Buena Vista Boulevard extension from SR 44 to Meggison Road.

Other transportation projects include Corbin Trail, Fenney Way and Warm Springs Avenue in the Villages of Southern Oaks.

Arnold said the county is committed to providing effective and efficient services, which are not always cheap, and also tries to promote public-private partnerships. Residents may not use some services, he said, such as text to 911 capability, which could be important in active shooter situations.

Commissioner salaries also will rise in the proposed budget and Arnold said the amount is set by the state, based partly on population. Commissioners currently earn $58,000 a year plus retirement plan contributions and the proposed budget calls for a 9.8 increase.

After Arnold’s presentation, some residents criticized the proposed budget.

Marie Lazinski said county officials should consider rural residents who also face a property tax hike.

“These people still think it’s a rural county,” she said. “These people don’t realize they’re going to pay more in taxes.”

Larry Bowman, of the Village of Bonita, said roads were not built to handle construction traffic with trucks carrying cement and other heavy materials.

“We should not pay for the screw-up,” he said.

Don Wiley, chairman of Community Development District 10, questioned a large increase in special reserve funds and how much more the county will receive in sales tax revenue.

“We don’t want a metropolitan area,” said Carol Nichols, of the Village of Glenview. “We were told it would stop at (SR) 44.”

Commissioner Doug Gilpin
Arnold responded that the roads were built to handle construction traffic.

“We understand there’s always going to be the tug of war between pro-growth and anti-growth,” he said, adding that growth provides a continuing income for construction workers.

Due to the large crowd at the meeting, Commissioner Doug Gilpin said the county must find a bigger venue for the September budget hearing.

“You aren’t going to be able to find a venue for all of the citizens who want to come to this meeting,” he told Arnold. “Do the best that you can. We can’t rent the polo fields.”

In a related matter, commissioners approved no increases next year in the annual assessment rate for both the Sumter and Villages fire districts. The rate will remain at $124 per land parcel for both districts, generating $2.2 million for the Sumter district and $5.7 million for The Villages district. Arnold said the revenue will not cover costs in The Villages district.

[Velvet]

As I am reading this I keep hearing that the people and areas who will benefit from this tax increase are predominantly in the new areas. Elsewhere such expenses are rolled into the cost of new houses not as a tax increase to the current residents. Somehow, because TV is expanding, everyone is responsible for the new costs (which they have not approved) whether they benefit or not. Here is where the voters need to take a stand.

Who benefits from TV expanding?
The roads need to be redone for the concrete trucks, who needs the concrete trucks in the first place?

On behalf of those who could not be there but are reading TOTV, thank you for this report.

Also, since many of the Snowbirds (a large percentage of the owners affected) for example, are not there for these discussions, has a referendum been considered?

In a democracy, my understanding is the representatives are suppose to represent the will of the people. Is it time to find out what those who live in Sumter county want?

[NavyVet]

I have a question:
In the articles I have read, nowhere do they mention if the 24% tax hike is on the ad valorem or the non-ad valorem tax bill. Or Both?
Does anyone know?

[champion6]

Originally Posted by NavyVet

I have a question:
In the articles I have read, nowhere do they mention if the 24% tax hike is on the ad valorem or the non-ad valorem tax bill. Or Both?
Does anyone know?

The 24% increase is on the millage rate for one line in the Ad Valorem portion of the tax bill. That one line is labeled Sumter County.

[TheWarriors]

Isn’t all this hullabaloo about an average increase of $300. for taxes that haven’t been raised in 12 or more years? Quit acting like old people, no wonder your kids don’t want to visit. Everything in life goes up, seems legitimate and we all have to contribute and quit passing the buck.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by TheWarriors

Isn’t all this hullabaloo about an average increase of $300. for taxes that haven’t been raised in 12 or more years? Quit acting like old people, no wonder your kids don’t want to visit. Everything in life goes up, seems legitimate and we all have to contribute and quit passing the buck.

I haven’t followed this that closely. I don’t claim to know all the details. And a $300 increase won’t break my bank.

But for me, zero increases for so long followed by a 25% increase in one year just screams of poor planning and other inefficiencies.

It’s a matter of principle.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by TheWarriors

Isn’t all this hullabaloo about an average increase of $300. for taxes that haven’t been raised in 12 or more years? Quit acting like old people, no wonder your kids don’t want to visit. Everything in life goes up, seems legitimate and we all have to contribute and quit passing the buck.

I 100% agree! We are lucky taxes in FL are very reasonable and there is not a state income tax.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by TheWarriors

Isn’t all this hullabaloo about an average increase of $300. for taxes that haven’t been raised in 12 or more years? Quit acting like old people, no wonder your kids don’t want to visit. Everything in life goes up, seems legitimate and we all have to contribute and quit passing the buck.

Well for me it's the first time in 2 years since we have only been here that long so it was pretty quick. I generally agree with you but you could have said it like a "gentle warrior." Words matter.

That being said, $300 this year, ???? next year, ???? the year after that. Then it would be "only" 4 times in 15 years. No one knows now that the ball started rolling and they taste the blood! Also, to some folks $300 is a lot more than it is to others. Yea, Yea I know what's coming next ..... "if they can't afford $300 they shouldn't have moved in here." Peoples situations change all the time. In the end we just have to suck it up. It is what it is.