This was not a political opinion on my part other than to point out the deception of the county road assessment fee that has been the propaganda of the newly elected county commissioners to make it fit their agenda of hate and contempt for the developer of The Villages.

Let's be clear about the road impact fee, 100% of the impact fee is collected. The amount is determined by an impact fee study done by a 3rd party entity, Tindal Oliver of Tampa FL, for the county. In the impact fee study T-O identifies the not only the cost and financial impact of new construction projects on the road systems of Sumter County, but also the revenue source of revenue that is used to offset these costs. The 40% that everyone is focused on is the builder's share of these costs. T-O identifies the revenue sources that supply the remining 60% of the funding. Specifically, the majority of these funds, which are called "credits" in the report, come from state and local fees/taxes that area assessed.

In Sumter County, as in all other counties, there is the ability to tax fuel sales on a per gallon basis. The State of Florida assess 2 cents and another 8 cents are levied through other provisions that are allowed for impact fee recovery. The State returns the 2 cents + or - back to the county based on statewide determinations. The local fees collected are applied directly towards the impact costs. Again both of these are considered Credits in the report.

The fuel tax levies are a good thing for Sumter County because of 2 things - The Florida Turnpike and I-75. The Okahumpaka service plaza and the gas stations and trucks tops at the various I-75 exits provide the vast majority of the taxes collected. Translated more simply, the people passing through Sumter County pay the majority of these fees, not the residents.

Florida law requires that if the impact fees are collected through other means (i.e. raising the % charged to the builders) then any relief must be immediately provided to the other sources of revenue. So if the rate is raised on the builders, the gas tax charged must, by law, be reduced. It cannot be returned to the counties general funds or used for other uses.

The residents are not paying the impact fees out of the county general funds (property taxes), it is all coming from the impact fees directly charged builders and from the credits received. The developer is not making or saving a single dollar on the impact fees. Any fee charged the developer is included in the cost of the houses they sell. The developer does not receive any portion of the "credits" collected for the impact fee.

The purpose of the numbers in the video was to show the monetary impact the proposed 100% assessment would have on other construction project. The fee on a single family or retirement community home is relatively small. For retail establishments the impact is much greater. So many complain they want a Costco here in The Villages, what is the impact of the proposed 100% assessment to building a Costco, the current rate is $3,774 and the 100% rate is $9,436 - PER 1000 Square Feet. These building are typically 125,000 SqFt or larger, the difference is (9436-3774)x125=$707,750 or more to just open the doors. That cost is passed on to the customers because again, business don't pay taxes, they collect them.

You can believe the propaganda of these newly elected commissioners or you can read the impact study for yourself as I have. Agenda - 01/05/2021

The only sweetheart deal being had is by all of the residents of Sumter County, and the relief they receive from these fees by those that transit through our county.

All of this information was made known to the county commissioners on January 5th, at least 2 either failed to grasp the facts or chose not to because it didn't fit their agenda and hyperbole.

The road impact fee had zero impact on the county property taxes and the increases we had 2 years ago.

I look at things from a business perspective and deal with the FACTS not the hype, hysteria, and half-truths that are being raised, and too many have come to believe as truth. What I put is my videos and post on-line is carefully researched for accuracy.

Again, I'm not offering an opinion on this because I'm not well informed on the matter.

However, LOL, this (and the data in the video) are most definitely political opinion. Just go ahead and own it.

Businesses get to write off EVERY SINGLE LITTLE EXPENSE that we homeowners never can!
 

Clueless.
If businesses don't write off expenses, your product costs go up.
:faint:

Yes developer has to get his fake message out through his puppets any way he can.

Not sure what you considering as a "write off", wages, utilities, vehicle expenses, etc. are not something that just goes away, it is calculated into the cost of doing business and the product sold.

I run a business and I have to calculate everything into the price I charge and can't just "write off" anything. I have to consider my equipment cost (drones, batteries, maintenance, and repairs), my fuel costs wear and tear for my truck, insurance cost, electricity for my home office to turn the computers I used for editing and charging the batteries. All these are calculated into the rates I charge, anything left over is considered profit that I have to pay taxes on. What's left after taxes is the fruits of my labor, my wages for all my work, based on the last year's numbers I'm making about $4/hr.

The nice thing about owning your own business is that you only have to work half days, the other 12 hours are yours to do with as you wish.

Prove your statement! What FACTS do you have to support such a statement. Back your statement up with proof that I am the developer's or anyone else's puppet.

You can't, you don't know me, don't know anything about me, have never met me, and yet you make such a statement.

You keep saying this, yet you provide no evidence in rebuttal. You are of the mindset that no matter what, the developer is evil.

Provide some legitimate data and maybe someone will take you seriously.

Not a Political Video. LOL
Alice in Wonderland Explanation Why 25% tax increase is good.
“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?”
Yours truly,
The puppet commissioners

Again.. Just more NOTHING. Show us some numbers. Show us where the funding comes from. Show us where the money goes. GoldWingnut has done all of those things and all you can do is spout Alice In Wonderland. You can hardly complete a sentence without using the terms "Puppets" or Sweetheart Deal".. Try expanding your vocabulary.

The triad lover can't show numbers because he has no clue, certainly no business ownership or development experience. He is a Developer hater, drank the KoolAid and will eventually learn the truth and will wonder what happened. Then will go quiet, maybe move......now where is that ignore button.

U cant handle the truth
 

let's see hmm, wing nut posts the lower pre impact fee and puts it alongside the higher post impact fee for comparison.
It's subsequently attacked as being a political exercise
seems to me that its an exercise in accounting 101 . Keep shining the sunshine mr wingnut. That's what they cant stand.
An educated voter with the full facts in their hands to make an educated and free choice.
As for the pseudo economic professors out there i remember a phrase about economists thats been around a long time. "figures dont lie, but liars know how to figure"
nuff said.

When the new carwash is opened, I want the drone to be duct-taped onto the roof of the car and run thru. :MOJE_whot:

It's an aircraft, not a submarine!

Goldwingnut: Thank you for sharing, and championing, this information regarding the impact fees. You seem to be the voice in the wilderness and I hope your message is heard! (And I so enjoy the construction updates as well).