[golfnut]

POA had an article in their newsletter this month and though I don't hold them out as an authority, they are not concerned at this point due to the fact that it is way too early to make any judgements and I agree, GO MUNCLE (or muncie as some people refer to him)...............GN

[SteveZ]

I admit to being biased.

If the Ritchie column was intended (as it seemed to be by the writing style) to give the impression that the developer's actions were underhanded, and to undermine sales and confidence, then from reading some of the posts she accomplished her intention.

I just like it here. If the developer made a decent buck in putting TV together, the developer deserved it more so than the professional athletes reaping dozens of millions and crying about how they are under-appreciated. To me, the amenities fee - for all I get out of it - is a bargain, and if the folks who provide the services make a profit at it, then I know they will be there in the future. If they were just breaking even or losing money, they'd be gone in a flash and we'd have nothing.

If Ms. Ritchie thinks TV is a rip-off, then she's more than welcome elsewhere - Like MetroWest, Baldwin Park, Avalon Park or other spots in the Orlando area where the developer(s) bailed at first opportunity.

I looked at a lot of places before picking TV, and had the luxury of watching it develop over a couple decades. I'm still satisfied with my choice, and all of the fear-mongering from The Sentinel doesn't change things. I want a solvent developer and subsequent management group - making decent profits - because as long as there are profits, the services will be there.

If you don't want to live in TV because you fear the place, that's your choice. But, I'm off to Market Night at Lake Sumter Landing tonight, and if you're not there, too, my condolences.

[cabo35]

After trying to be informed and objective on the IRS/Bond issue, the most recent volley from Ms. Ritchie convinces me she is mean spirited and biased negatively toward anything related to the Villages. Further, I believe she attempting to stoke the flames of discontent to hurt Villagers and the success of the Morse family.

Lauren Ritchie said, "And it is time for homeowners to worry less about their tee time and marvelous activities and more about their future property values and financial liability." How cavalierly arrogant is that?

Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

http://andrewblechman.blogspot.com/2...bilked_05.html

I have witnessed first hand the envy of certain "locals" , wannabes, and an eclectic assortment of non-Villagers. Motivated by jealousy and insecurity, they are out to deliberately bring the glowing success of TV down to their own level of boring, mediocre existence. Ritchie's comment certainly is designed to distress and hurt Villagers not help them. She is unabashedly and shamelessly fanning the embers of her "big story" at the expense of causing distress to many Village residents.

There has been a dearth of balance and an irritating abundance of bias in her assessment as she herself has acknowledged. Now if she would only take on something important like improving our tee times........ Call me crazy but at this stage of my life, I prefer fat, dumb and happy to tilting with other people's windmills...but, that's just me. I do respect the concerns of my fellow Villagers who wish to be more engaged.

Be of good cheer Villagers, Lauren's calculated Henny-Penny rants are like ships that pass in the night.......and this to shall pass.

P.S. - did anyone else get the impression a certain recent poster in this thread is a planted shill for Lauren and/or the Sentinel?

GO MUNCLE!!!!! Great post Steve!!!!

[djl8412]

Cabo:

Who are Villagers that are "hurt?" What axe does Ms. Ritchie have to grind in her "Henny-Penny" rants and what would be her reward? What is the award for the IRS investigators performing their jobs? As I stated previously, we also love life in TV, but loving life here does not make us immune to potential misdeeds of others in power and money. If you're fine with your situation, that's great. We all need to step back more often from the continuous bad news we get everyday, but if we step back too far and not question power, we're in trouble. Saying nothing is silent approval. There is one thing that still hangs over all of us here.......Lauren Ritchie and the IRS just might be right.

[collie1228]

I just have to make one more observation, then I'll move into the background for awhile, as this subject seems to be getting toxic. I don't know if Mr. Morse made legal errors in this case or not - I'm sure someday the federal tax court will decide that, unless he cuts a deal. Assuming the IRS Agent is telling the truth, and I have no reason to doubt him, in 2003 Mr. Morse sold facilities (“land, buildings and fixed assets”) to the Community Development District. Per "the Developer's records”, he obtained payment from the Community Development District totaling $59,909,918, which was the purchase price for property with a total book value of $6,866,215, with the remainder ($53 Million) labeled as "Discounted Value of Amenities - Intangible Asset". Bottom line, the Development District, which the IRS states is under Mr. Morse’s control, now owns the rights to your future monthly amenity fees and Mr. Morse put $53 Million in the bank. Anytime your actual cost is $7 Million and your “gain” is $53 Million, that’s a great deal, even if you are a Wall Street Master of the Universe. I strongly believe in a capitalist democracy, but I doubt that our founding fathers ever thought anyone could become so enriched by doing so little. And keep in mind that this is only one of many deals made between the Developer and the development districts. That’s all I have to say. If you wish to defend Mr. Morse, be my guest. He’s laughing all the way to the bank, I’m sure. Or maybe he’s laughing all the way to the yacht dealership.

[golfnut]

Ritchie's existence currently is not about grinding axe's it's about selling papers. However, at this point I have to get something off my chest, in an earlier post today I said I was going to cancel my tee time and another engagement later this evening, I did neither, I shot a 31 earlier today and plan to gourge myself at dinner in a couple hours. After that I may come home and worry about this issue and then again I may not. I can't dwell on it too long as I am going to Golfest in the morning with friends, have a 1:00 tee time and have to meet with visitors at 4:00 at the Waterfront Inn for dinner...........GN

[golfnut]

collie, I was going to write a rebuttal to your recent comment but at this point I don't have time, heading off to dinner with friends, I'll just say buh bye (laughing all the way to the tee box)........GN

[shermark]

Bogie Shotter, my dog in this fight is my mother who is a Villager living on a fixed income and is showing signs of Alzheimers. My sister ( former Marine Officer) is also a Villager who took a bullet in Desert Storm and is now on disability. In spite of this bond situation, I hope to soon be a Villager so I can be close to them and help them anyway I can. And no I am not a shill for Lauren Ritchie and the Sentinel.

[jtdraig]

Lauren Ritchie has long been a foe of developers, at least, she has since I began reading her columns almost four years ago. She particularly dislikes the Villages. If you don't believe me, go back into the Sentinel archives but there are certainly much more important things to do than that...this issue is like a lot of sensational 2000's yellow journalism. It takes an issue that hasn't been resolved and attempts to put it's worse face forward. It's going to take potentially years as some have said and depending on where this shakes out, there will be lawsuits. One can hope not. In the meantime, life is just too short. I'll watch it but I am not going to obsess.

[cabo35]

Originally Posted by djl8412

Cabo:

Who are Villagers that are "hurt?" What axe does Ms. Ritchie have to grind in her "Henny-Penny" rants and what would be her reward? What is the award for the IRS investigators performing their jobs? As I stated previously, we also love life in TV, but loving life here does not make us immune to potential misdeeds of others in power and money. If you're fine with your situation, that's great. We all need to step back more often from the continuous bad news we get everyday, but if we step back too far and not question power, we're in trouble. Saying nothing is silent approval. There is one thing that still hangs over all of us here.......Lauren Ritchie and the IRS just might be right.

Hi djl,

To answer you categorically;

Any villager that felt remotely distressed when Ritchie declared that they should worry more about their "future property values and financial liability."..... would be hurt. She has invoked herself as the trier of facts, the jury and the judge before a complaint has even been filed. Border line buyers and by extension future sellers who alter their home ownership decisions based on Ritchie's non-professional biased opinions potentially hurt themselves and others in an already fragile market.

The IRS should do what they are paid to do. This issue has been discussed publicly for a few years. It is interesting to note that the IRS has never filed a complaint. A sharp Florida attorney I know said that the uniqueness of the way the Villages are legally organized, something like Disney World, has left many unanswered questions, limited precedent and a lot of conflicting opinions.

The developer has not been convicted, not even charged with any impropriety so to categorize him by inference with those with "power and money" that commit "misdeeds" is not fair. I check for the American flag at public buildings everyday and the last time I checked "Old Glory" was still flying and that means we still have a presumption of innocence in America. This seems to be an elusive principle for Ms. Ritchie. I prefer to reserve judgement until all the facts are disclosed and the case is decided by a court that does more then speculate on misdeeds as Ms. Ritchie and her fans are so adept at. I should add that I have posted criticisms of the developer at times so I am not in the tank with him.

In straightforward King's English, I said, "I do respect the concerns of my fellow Villagers who wish to be more engaged." If you wish to engage at a more intense level... go for it. I prefer to give the developers their day in court and continue to view the glass as half full. Speaking of which, there's a cool one in the dining room with my name on it right now.

Thanks for taking the time to read the post and have a nice evening.

[SABRMnLgs]

I have spent over an hour skimming through the rantings of many who are either pro or con on two issues. Makes for very interesting reading (I think). But pro or con which issue?
Some are concerned with the issue. Others seem more concerned with the messenger of the issue. Not yet a resident, I am very neutral at this point. But to you folks who think tee-times and lunchs are so important, realize this. At some point, you are the people who may end up paying the piper.
And I would bet the two bucks in my wallet, you would be the first to go into apoplectic shock if you got a bill to solve this thing.
Agaim, I state, I am neutral. I have no feelings one way or the other. But a journalist does not fish for stories. They are assigned to her by her heirarchy at the newspaper. She must do her research, and then report her findings.
Now because some Villagers don't like her or the facts she presents (which is proofread by her editors by the way) she is labled.
I was in journalism for a number of years (albeit part-time and very free-lance) but the facts hold true.
You are most certainly welcome to voice your opinion on the facts, but because you don't agree with those facts, leave the name calling of the people who write about it, outside the door. It is so juvenile and tainted.
As Joe Friday used to say, "The facts, Ma'am. All we want are the facts".

[bimmertl]

It's laughable that this article is an attempt "to sell newspapers". I'm sure the sales of the paper just skyrocketed when they wrote an article about an IRS audit of a retirement community 60 miles North of Orlando. No doubt the paper boxes all over were emptied in minutes.

But then, in a blatant attempt to sell even more papers, the actual author of the article, posted a link to the article on a widely read Villages website. This meant hundreds, if not more people actually interested in the article, didn't even have to buy a paper.

What a genius way to sell newspapers!

And let's not forget, that is was just about one year ago that it was announced Morse and his minions agreed to pay around $50 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the developer was not in compliance with his contractual obligations to residents of TV. Of course there was no admittance of wrongdoing, but strangley, there was a "confidentially agreement" as part of the settlement. Most agreements of this type keep the specifics of the settlement amounts confidential. So no doubt Morse et al had some concerns regarding what could be revealed if litigation proceded, or God forbid, Morse was actually deposed.

http://www.sptimes.com/2008/03/10/St...develope.shtml

[SteveZ]

What I don't understand is all the concern about how much profit the developer has made with TV.

TV has been a work-in-process for a couple decades. The developer - the "family" - has invested heavily in money, time and effort into TV. They've absorbed a lot of risk and worked like the dickens for many years to make this thing called TV happened.

If the "family" has made millions from TV - good for them. If they wanted to bleed the "golden goose" dry, TV would have "gone public" a long time ago instead of remaining a closed corporation. As smart businesspeople, they seem to have recognized the very-long-term profitability of the TV venture.

Whether a columnist from the Orange County fishwrap believes I have spent my money wisely or not is of no matter. I have piece of mind here, a lot of personal security, and much fun - a lot more than when I lived in Metro Orlando.

It's a beautiful day in The Villages......

[bimmertl]

Exchange the words "developer" with the words "Bernie Madoff".

[RCT]

Originally Posted by SteveZ

What I don't understand is all the concern about how much profit the developer has made with TV.

TV has been a work-in-process for a couple decades. The developer - the "family" - has invested heavily in money, time and effort into TV. They've absorbed a lot of risk and worked like the dickens for many years to make this thing called TV happened.

If the "family" has made millions from TV - good for them. If they wanted to bleed the "golden goose" dry, TV would have "gone public" a long time ago instead of remaining a closed corporation. As smart businesspeople, they seem to have recognized the very-long-term profitability of the TV venture.

Whether a columnist from the Orange County fishwrap believes I have spent my money wisely or not is of no matter. I have piece of mind here, a lot of personal security, and much fun - a lot more than when I lived in Metro Orlando.

It's a beautiful day in The Villages......

Couldn't agree with you more.