[spk7951]

Originally Posted by kingofbeer

The business owners such as medium-sized business owners T&D Concrete opposed this. They would have paid their fair share. My understanding is that under the present system, business owners pay the same amount as a homeowners do. I think this is unfair and should be changed. Basing it on the square footage of the business seems to be right. T&D was mad, because he has over 10,000 feet of square footage.

Current system of $124 is not fair to homeowners. Would be nice to hear T&D say they have a better idea to not cost firefighters/emt's their jobs would will not be good for the county.

[Normal]

I’m glad this thing died. A campground owner would have had a tax bill for this “great” idea for almost a half million dollars.

We know The Villages would have had a taxable amount untold of in most circles, but tens of millions just for the square footage were available.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Normal

I’m glad this thing died. A campground owner would have had a tax bill for this “great” idea for almost a half million dollars.

We know The Villages would have had a taxable amount untold of in most circles, but tens of millions just for the square footage were available.

I'd like to know more about that campground. Looking at one of the RV parks near here, they were assessed on about 20% of their area. Don't know if that was some equation for RV parks or if they have only developed 20% of their land for use in the business.

In any case, to get an assessment of $490,000 (I saw that number somewhere) at $0.53/sq ft that works out to be 925,000sq ft. If that was an RV park and assessed on only 20% of the land then that would be a 100acre RV park. $490,000 is a lot of money but a 100acre (4.3M sq ft) business is a fairly large business.

It bothers me that (IF I AM CORRECT) Grand Traverse plaza pays exactly the same $124 that I do. This 100acre RV park would also pay $124 (or possibly $248 if it is actually two parks). The residential properties appear to be subsidizing the commercial properties.

But, I also recognize that $0.539/sq ft is a very large number. At $323.64 a 2,000sq ft home would pay about $0.16/sq ft. Perhaps the proposal shifted the pendulum too far to the other side.

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by Normal

I’m glad this thing died. A campground owner would have had a tax bill for this “great” idea for almost a half million dollars.

We know The Villages would have had a taxable amount untold of in most circles, but tens of millions just for the square footage were available.

There was no confirmation of this other than what the campground owner claimed. Also using the excuse that she is busy only during snowbird season has nothing to do with this.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

I'd like to know more about that campground. Looking at one of the RV parks near here, they were assessed on about 20% of their area. Don't know if that was some equation for RV parks or if they have only developed 20% of their land for use in the business.

In any case, to get an assessment of $490,000 (I saw that number somewhere) at $0.53/sq ft that works out to be 925,000sq ft. If that was an RV park and assessed on only 20% of the land then that would be a 100acre RV park. $490,000 is a lot of money but a 100acre (4.3M sq ft) business is a fairly large business.

It bothers me that (IF I AM CORRECT) Grand Traverse plaza pays exactly the same $124 that I do. This 100acre RV park would also pay $124 (or possibly $248 if it is actually two parks). The residential properties appear to be subsidizing the commercial properties.

But, I also recognize that $0.539/sq ft is a very large number. At $323.64 a 2,000sq ft home would pay about $0.16/sq ft. Perhaps the proposal shifted the pendulum too far to the other side.

I still wonder what The Villages would have paid. Their sales, design and retail sections alone equated to more than anyone else.

[Babubhat]

Remember who approved this and boot them. Cut the landscaping, it’s out of control.

Managers look for cost savings everyday. ABC, always be cutting

[LuvtheVillages]

Originally Posted by Normal

I’m glad this thing died. A campground owner would have had a tax bill for this “great” idea for almost a half million dollars.

We know The Villages would have had a taxable amount untold of in most circles, but tens of millions just for the square footage were available.

I find the campground owner's statement confusing. I was under the impression that businesses would be charged 53 cents/sq foot for their buildings. This person seems to be calculating 53 cents/sq foot on their land???

Doesn't matter now, but which was it?

[kansasr]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

As I understand it, you are correct. It is possible that the Lofts at Brownwood, in their entirety, pay $124 for fire protection because they represent one property. The same for the Grand Traverse shopping center - one property, one $124 fee. I don't know that $0.53 per sqft was fair (I pay much less than that) but it was a start.

In the end, that ship has sailed. No IFD, no new fee structure, just a $25M hole to fill.

Looking at the TRIM notice for the Lofts at Brownwood, their fire assessment would go from $124 to $84,146.

[Rainger99]

I find it amazing that no one can explain this. Everyone is confused!

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

I find it amazing that no one can explain this. Everyone is confused!

What is it that no one can explain?

[Keefelane66]

I’m sure you’ll see the firehouses doing informational picketing to tell everyone how bad it will become SOON.

[kingofbeer]

I think this landowner was confused and just stirring up problems at the meeting. It should be based on building square footage.

[kingofbeer]

that seems reasonable to me. Should be at least $324 times the number of rental units or more.

[twoplanekid]

Originally Posted by kansasr

Looking at the TRIM notice for the Lofts at Brownwood, their fire assessment would go from $124 to $84,146.

In trying to look up the Lofts at Brownwood on the Sumter County Tax Collector site, I found this record.

TaxSys - Sumter County Tax Collector

Is this the total bill for the complete complex including all of the units?

Maybe not as there seems to be many records to search through such as the following ->

Just a moment...

Account Summary — - TaxSys - Sumter County Tax Collector

And, I don't believe I will pay for confidential records at this point in time.

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

What is it that no one can explain?

The fire department issue.

I think it started with the vote last November. I have read many comments on the board and I have spoken to many of my neighbors. No one seems to understand the impact of passing the referendum last year or the impact of not passing it.

I don't believe anyone has explained why the fire fighting costs are going up so dramatically. The Sumter County Fire Chief claims that failure to pass the $200 increase will cause a $12 million shortfall in his $24 million budget and that he will have to lay off 30 fireman. Was there no shortfall last year? What was the budget last year? The Villages Public Safety Department will lose 57 new positions and will have to disband the hazardous materials team and his budget will be cut from $34.5 million to $20 million.

If the referendum had passed last November, would the budgets have then been balanced without the $200 increase? If so, where would the money have come from?

The latest census figures for Sumter County show a population of about 135,000.

Did anyone on the board work as a fireman or on their city's budget committee? What is the average cost of a fire department in a town of 135,000?