[mtdjed]

I am out of the area at this time but have been advised that the new Sumter County Budget proposal includes a provision to increase the county commissioners salary to over $100,000 plus benefits. Is this true? Would be getting close to US Congress salaries for another part time job. This has to be totally false or a joke.

If true , these persons should be (fill in the blanks).

[vinricci]

Shocking treatment of us Villagers. Room the Commissioners (Coms) selected only held 400 and was filled 30 minutes before meeting started. Coms would not allow the hundreds of people in the lobby in.
Sumter County Commissioners states that their salary is mandated by the State based on population. Then one of them said that when the Developers weren’t sure about expanding beyond 44, the Commissioners encouraged the powers that be to expand because not doing so would put construction workers out of work.
All this expansion is not only increasing the damage to our roadways, requiring all of us to pay for additional services and coincidentally putting more $$ in the Com’s pockets. So those of us on fixed incomes who did not ask for all the new expansion and don’t benefit from it are expected to pay to repair damage to infrastructure and increased services.
So when will it stop? Never as long as Coms pay is tied to population. Or when many of us choose to leave Sumter County.
Next meeting is in Bushnell in September at an even smaller venue. I’m sure Coms chose that place instead of The Villages hoping we don’t show up.

[Spoiler]

Where do I apply for this job?

[dewilson58]

OP............Not true.

[Kgcetm]

The commissioners are elected officials. They serve 4-year staggered terms. We elected them thinking we were making the right decision for our community. It seems that we did not make a good decision for those of us living in The Villages. We will have our chance to revisit our previous decision several times over the next few years. I will remind all who voted for the increase, who they are running against and that person's position on various methods of increasing our taxes. If you don't like it enough, then throw them out of office but make certain that the people we choose to replace them are capable of making sound decisions that are good for The Villages.

I went to the meeting last night and was turned away at 4:32 p.m. It's difficult to understand how the Commission could not understand the importance of this meeting to Villagers and made the necessary arrangements to either accommodate everyone at this meeting or announce prior to last night's meeting the time and place of additional meetings to address the concerns of the community. I believe the Commission behaved in an arbitrary manner and is operating in an absolute vacuum. There were reasons this Commission did not increase our taxes for 13 years and those reasons did not include caring about the welfare of fixed income retirees living in the Villages. Assessed property values decreased between 2008-2013 and without an increase in our millage rate, tax revenue from existing residents declined. They have not addressed new construction tax revenue other than to say that as The Villages approach a population of 150,000 it becomes more expensive to operate. I think many people have a difficult time with that statement, but it was made.

Our assessed values should be addressed on a regularly scheduled basis. Millage rates should be addressed as well but not to offset lost tax revenue in a declining real estate market. A 25% increase in the millage rate is absurd. How long do you think it will be before the Commission comes back with their plan to increase the property assessments?

Their increase in salary and benefits simply makes them look like what they are. These folks are going to get approximately 50% of their salary in retirement benefits...did you ever get that? Probably not, and they shouldn't either.

That's all for now but I promise this isn't going to get any prettier any time soon.

[bagboy]

Originally Posted by vinricci

Shocking treatment of us Villagers. Room the Commissioners (Coms) selected only held 400 and was filled 30 minutes before meeting started. Coms would not allow the hundreds of people in the lobby in.
Sumter County Commissioners states that their salary is mandated by the State based on population. Then one of them said that when the Developers weren’t sure about expanding beyond 44, the Commissioners encouraged the powers that be to expand because not doing so would put construction workers out of work.
All this expansion is not only increasing the damage to our roadways, requiring all of us to pay for additional services and coincidentally putting more $$ in the Com’s pockets. So those of us on fixed incomes who did not ask for all the new expansion and don’t benefit from it are expected to pay to repair damage to infrastructure and increased services.
So when will it stop? Never as long as Coms pay is tied to population. Or when many of us choose to leave Sumter County.
Next meeting is in Bushnell in September at an even smaller venue. I’m sure Coms chose that place instead of The Villages hoping we don’t show up.

Some folks probably said the same thing when your village was built and you moved here.

[skyking]

Not true. They are currently paid $58,000 per year and the budget proposes a 9.8% increase, thus $63,684 per year.

What other wild rumors have you heard?

[Chatbrat]

How does their salary affect you ? who cares

[Bogie Shooter]

Sumter Official Take Questions About Tax Hike (Daily Sun, July 24 2019

A plan to raise Sumter County property taxes---the first increase in 14 years—to meet public safety needs is spurring questions from hundreds of residents.

Officials provided some of their answers on Tuesday to an overflow crowd of more than 400 at Colony Cottage Recreation Center, even though the issue was not on the commission's agenda.

County Administrator Bradley Arnold said the 24% increase – a rate still significantly lower than the county's historical high-- is needed to provide services such as traffic control and a proper level of law enforcement to a growing population.

He also took questions about an upcoming bump in commissioners' pay, explaining that their rate is set by a state formula, not by themselves.

No vote will be taken until Truth In Millage (TRIM) notices are sent to home-owners in August.
In the mean time, Arnold invited residents to email questions to him at bradley.arnold@sumtercountyfl.gov or call him at 352-689-4400.

[Velvet]

Finally, something I can chew on.

[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by mtdjed

I am out of the area at this time but have been advised that the new Sumter County Budget proposal includes a provision to increase the county commissioners salary to over $100,000 plus benefits. Is this true? Would be getting close to US Congress salaries for another part time job. This has to be totally false or a joke.

If true , these persons should be (fill in the blanks).

I'm really curious. Would you please tell us from where this info came? And, no, it's not true.

[dmorhome]

Canceled meeting and moved it to Bushnell,hoping people will not show up smart move on there part.The villages is not what it use to be,24 % raise in Taxes should take care of the so called happiest home town or should I say CITY WITH GREED.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by dmorhome

Canceled meeting and moved it to Bushnell,hoping people will not show up smart move on there part.The villages is not what it use to be,24 % raise in Taxes should take care of the so called happiest home town or should I say CITY WITH GREED.

Cancelled meeting?
You need to get informed...…………..

Here is a start:

Sumter County Commissioners
Meeting Locations

Second Tuesdays:
Sumter County Courthouse
215 East McCollum Ave.
Historic Courtroom
Bushnell, FL 33513

Third Tuesdays - Workshop:
The Villages Sumter County Service Center
7375 Powell Road
Room 102
Wildwood, FL 34785

Fourth Tuesdays:
Colony Cottage Regional Recreation Center
510 Colony Blvd.
Parlor Room
The Villages, FL 32162

[Villageswimmer]

I’m really behind the curve on this. Is the proposed 25% increase on the Sumter County tax AND the Sumter County school Board tax? The first two line items on the bill, right?

Is it on “market” value, “assessed” value, or “taxable” value?

Forgive me for being out of the loop.

[PennBF]

It is awful as none of the Commissioner's have the background to support Financial Responsibilities, or Budget knowledge or the experience to support business planning. In addition a lot of them carry other responsibilities which restricts the time they have to carry Commissioner's requirements. To those who consider this an opportunity to make jokes or some form of sarcastic comment they may want to consider these are dollars being spent that take away from your families. These are public
employees who are enjoying your hard earned dollars. They are laughing at you.