I understood your point all along!
This is America and there are breath-taking places, vibrant cities, expansive undeveloped countrysides, but when we speak of them, people tell us to "move there, if you like it so much".

This thread has really gone off the rails from the original topic, but many people who live in TV have that very special enclave elsewhere and they're going to be flying back to T.V. soon without a care in the world about the tax or amenity bills.
Be Happy. Don't Worry.

Illinois levies several state-level taxes, including a flat income tax, sales tax, and fuel tax. It is also known for having some of the highest property taxes in the nation, which are levied at the local level.

I always tell people who ask me about TV, that it's not a good fit for everyone. Although I would guess 90% plus love it here.

As a very active, fit couple, TV is like an adult Disneyland for us. And for us the amenity fee is a bargain.

Yes, the taxes are a bit higher than what we had in Indiana, and you do pay more for a home here to enjoy TV lifestyle. But utilities are lower.
Is it perfect? Hell no. But we love it here.

There's a happy place for everyone, you just have to find it.

I don’t understand how Toilets Pritzker thinks he can obtain a higher office. They are currently plotting to tax home deliveries.

included in post
 

[QUOTE=Amenity Fee isn’t on your tax bill.]

OP DID include the amenity fee in his post: "proposed county taxes, added to the amenity fees.

Crime will never be under control in Chicago, NYC, LA, SF, and their corresponding states. If they counted all the crime it would be much higher. Taxes will never be decreased in these cities/states where DeSantis wants to eliminate property taxes. Also, if you are going to compare taxes, include all of them, don’t cherry pick so they look better. None of those cities/states will eliminate their income taxes where we have 0. Let’s also compare cost of gas? We are less than 1/2 of the avg of California, and over $1.50 less than Washington, Oregon, and Chicago.
As for music, where can you hear good music for free every night of the year, in 4 locations? Sure you might go to bars to hear a little band but the drinks will cost you. If you go to any concerts it’s going to cost you.
I can go on and on.
The nice thing in the states, if you don’t like it here, MOVE!!

Log cabin originally built in 1800s great grandfather. traditional notch logs no nails perfectly lined with very few gaps. Painful upkeep, of logs and the snow removal on the roof. Passed down for $1 to his daughter. Her daughter, Adding indoor plumbing, and tripling size in 1980s, keeping with logs of the original.

Our children spent their summers at the cabin declined. Our grandchildren, will be next owners backing to 10,000 acres of state land, with lakefront all for $1.
The lake house is also a passed down generation home with sweeping views. Both require lots of upkeep, and must be passed down for 5 generations.

Taxes are 1/2 of any of our TV homes, our family house will keep for a few more years then pass down to our granddaughter.

Amenity fee is not on our yearly tax bill. That’s paid monthly.

Chicago Crime Capital
 

So far another bloody weekend in Chicago, they probably need federal help, another six people were killed and more than two dozen shot in the municipality since Friday afternoon.

OP, did you conveniently forget State income taxes in IL? Hey, most of us have come from other cities, so we have gotten our fill of that "vibrant" life. Rather than go outside and risk my life in those vibrant cities, I'll enjoy the rest of my time right here in beautiful TV!

not !!!

Up north we had the “Forest preserve district’s” taxes, which provided parks and recreation facilities comparable to, though by no means the equivalent of The Villages amenities, so yes I include those as taxes. As I said, the value for dollars paid for government services here is much better.

It might as well be, it is paid for the availability of parks and recreation services mostly provided by municipal (district) government.

Ten years ago.

Now that’s funny… whine about whiner’s?

That's impressive, the natural beauty mst be outstanding.

Please inform us what MI has to do with villages vs Illinois?

Aren’t maintenance fees on yearly tax bill above monthly amenities bill?

Exactly, and many have and more are ready to follow. Disneyland may be the perfect cup of tea for some, others not at all. The nice things about the United States are all the beautiful places to live.

You're living right where you need to be, with old people in a Disney type atmosphere and poor medical arrangements. Stay right here.

Yep, you're living right where you need to be. Not everyone is built for an interesting and varied life. Of course, there are all different clubhouses, golf courses and pools. :wave:

Sorry your sister made a poor choice on the development she choose. Most have better planning than that. Do people sneak in and use their amenities also?

That is just the one you heard about...

On the whole, this thread is about "bang for the buck" for all the fees, taxes and charges in The Villages. I don't understand why hearing about another scenario would be so upsetting unless is the great deal for the money vs here that's annoying to those here. Everywhere has it's pros and cons.

It is definitely a place for old people, enjoy!

One has to look where much of the population that moved here came from and hope that shortly, Florida doesn't look like the rest of those cities. Florida is cheaper that some states cost of living but definitely not one of the cheapest.

It's a variety of things. That's a part of it, sure. It's also the weather. I hate Florida weather. My body hates Florida weather, my arthritis hates Florida weather. I have a personal aversion to really big cockroaches. Strangely enough, I don't skeeve out upon seeing a scorpion in my shoe (that happened when we visited Corpus Cristi, TX one year). But if I saw a cockroach in my shoe I'd be traumatized for at least a couple of weeks after the incident.

The division line between the haves and the have-nots. It's so wide. The folks living between "have" and "have not" are few and rare. I find that pathetic, and that window of "inbetween" is growing thinner every week, it seems.

The food. In some small areas of cities near the coast, you can find decent ethnic food of ALL sorts. But from the Everglades to the Panhandle, (except for Orlando), Central Florida is an ethnic food desert. And apparently, the overall population of this region is fine sticking with their choice of Chili's style chain restaurants, or $300/couple ultra-fancy "American wagyu" steaks with truffle sauce and braised avocado with wilted purple kale and shallot foam monstrosities.

I love this country, you are free to say what you want, think what you want and leave when you want.

Please inform us about what Illinois has to do with Florida
 

Please inform us about what Illinois has to do with Florida. Personally, I’ve always wondered what Ohio has to do with Hawaii. Secondly would be West Virginia with New Mexico.

Maybe it’s just the massively different infrastructures, roads, lights and their maintenance? Maybe it’s the totally different economic situations and costs of living?

I thought the heat was supposed to be good for arthritis? Is that wrong?

Florida overall is diverse, but the Villages seems to be quite homogeneous. Not many "haves" or "have nots". Its mostly all middle class. 90+% of the homes cost less than $1M. So I don't think the in-between group is small within the Villages.

Dry Heat is best
 

Dry heat is better for arthritis. Humidity can actually cause flare ups.

There are lots of retirement communities in AZ.....

I agree with about 90%. I would rather have perennial plants in the round-abouts. Also, I would rather have the money for community watch used for more REAL Police and more neighborhood cameras. Personally, I don't believe that the community watch is effective at all. My house was burglarized about 7 years ago when I was away. And I read about many such a crimes happening daily on NewsBreak.

The people committing crimes in those cities are not the ones moving here.

20 Years ago, I thought Portland, Or. was a great city. Winter was difficult with cold and too much rain, but summers were outstanding. Unfortunately, it attracted too many people and a lot of crime and that changed it. California was wonderful in the 60s and 70s. Basically, locations change. Increasing summer heat and hurricanes are making year around living in Florida less pleasant.

No, their choices are and that's what has changed Chicago, Portland and so forth.

Summer heat and hurricanes have always been an issue in FL. This is nothing new.

Why do you suppose crime became an issue in CA & OR, but not FL when there are way more people coming to FL?

Ya, but people rarely associate their choices with the corresponding outcomes. If they did, they wouldn't keep making the same failure-prone choices.

Simple
 

Because in California and in Oregon or even Washington, the law enforcement is handcuffed (virtually) and the criminals are not. I suppose there is also the problem of the court systems giving everyone second and third chances too.

Yeah, that's the rub. Those choices keep coming even though the results disgust them and nothing changes. :shrug: