Why do we as Sumter County taxpayers put up with this?

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  #31  
Old 02-05-2020, 07:50 PM
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It was NOT a 25% increase across the board period. Pull your last couple of years tax bills only a small portion went up and it was not 25%. Mine went up about $200 total big deal first time since 2009.
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Old 02-05-2020, 09:36 PM
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A couple things here. I am doing my research as others in here have suggested I do before I purchase.

I thought the bond was to pay for the infrastructure here. Is it not?

Either the taxes in Sumter went up 25% or either they did not. I have read many stories/articles saying they did.
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Old 02-05-2020, 10:20 PM
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Originally Posted by CWGUY View Post
I just pulled up the Sumter Co. Property Appraiser's Web Site Sumter County Property Appraiser - Joey Hooten - Bushnell, Florida - 352-569-6800
You can go back to 2006 and look at tax info. I've been here full time since 2004.
On my 2006 tax bill the total millage rate (ad valorem) was 14.9660
On our 2019 (latest) tax bill the total ad valorem millage rate was 12.4001
That means our millage rate is down 2.5659 over the last 13 years.
I also want to add we paid $63.79 less in Sumter Co. property taxes in 2019 than we did in 2006. AND $255.92 less in total ad valorem taxes.

CAN ANY "SUMTER COUNTY VOTER" PLEASE EXPLAIN AGAIN WHY I SHOULD BE MAD? WHY I SHOULD WANT TO CHANGE THE WAY OUR COUNTY IS RUN? CHANGE WHO RUNS THE COUNTY?

I really (sorry) don't want to hear from people who don't live here..... this is our home..... not our golf vacation destination. I know you might be tax payers and home owners here and entitled to your opinions..... I just don't (sorry really) want to here them. Thank you for letting me rant.
  #34  
Old 02-05-2020, 10:58 PM
tuccillo tuccillo is offline
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Among other things, the bond pays for the amenities such as the executive golf courses, guard shacks at the gates, and rec centers.

The Sumter "tax" bill actually has 5 components: county tax, school tax, SWFWMD (water management), fire department, and maintenance. Also on the "tax" bill is your bond payment (interest and principal) but I will exclude that from further discussion since many people choose to pay it off and will have a value of zero for their bond payment. The county tax went up about 25% (actually the millage rate increased by about 25%) and the county tax is about about half of the total "tax". The other 4 components didn't significantly change so for many people their "tax" bill went up about 13%.

If you still have a bond payment and computed the percentage change in your "tax" bill from the previous year then the percentage change would be less than 13% since the fixed bond payment is a pretty good percentage of the total "tax" bill.

Further complicating the computation of the percentage increase in the "tax" bill is the fact that some people had a change in the assessed value of their home so their county tax may have gone up by more than 25% (and the school tax would have also increased).

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Originally Posted by Double Eagle View Post
A couple things here. I am doing my research as others in here have suggested I do before I purchase.

I thought the bond was to pay for the infrastructure here. Is it not?

Either the taxes in Sumter went up 25% or either they did not. I have read many stories/articles saying they did.

Last edited by tuccillo; 02-05-2020 at 11:24 PM.
  #35  
Old 02-05-2020, 11:49 PM
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Originally Posted by tuccillo View Post
Among other things, the bond pays for the amenities such as the executive golf courses, guard shacks at the gates, and rec centers.

The Sumter "tax" bill actually has 5 components: county tax, school tax, SWFWMD (water management), fire department, and maintenance. Also on the "tax" bill is your bond payment (interest and principal) but I will exclude that from further discussion since many people choose to pay it off and will have a value of zero for their bond payment. The county tax went up about 25% (actually the millage rate increased by about 25%) and the county tax is about about half of the total "tax". The other 4 components didn't significantly change so for many people their "tax" bill went up about 13%.

If you still have a bond payment and computed the percentage change in your "tax" bill from the previous year then the percentage change would be less than 13% since the fixed bond payment is a pretty good percentage of the total "tax" bill.

Further complicating the computation of the percentage increase in the "tax" bill is the fact that some people had a change in the assessed value of their home so their county tax may have gone up by more than 25% (and the school tax would have also increased).
Thank you for the tax explanation.

Others have said that the bond does not pay for things such as golf courses, swimming pools, etc. Isn't that what the amenities fee is for? As such, what is in essence a tax free municipal bond pays for private golf courses and such?

Thanks again. Just trying to learn.
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Old 02-06-2020, 12:28 AM
tuccillo tuccillo is offline
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The amenities fee (about $155 per month for most homes and paid to the CDDs) pays to maintain the amenities (executive golf courses, rec centers with pools., etc.). The bond paid for their initial construction plus other infrastructure. The other golf courses (the 18 hole championship courses) are owned and run by the Developer and are not funded by the amenities fee.

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Originally Posted by Double Eagle View Post
Thank you for the tax explanation.

Others have said that the bond does not pay for things such as golf courses, swimming pools, etc. Isn't that what the amenities fee is for? As such, what is in essence a tax free municipal bond pays for private golf courses and such?

Thanks again. Just trying to learn.
  #37  
Old 02-06-2020, 02:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Double Eagle View Post
A couple things here. I am doing my research as others in here have suggested I do before I purchase.

I thought the bond was to pay for the infrastructure here. Is it not?

Either the taxes in Sumter went up 25% or either they did not. I have read many stories/articles saying they did.
Our taxes went up by $800 from last year.
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  #38  
Old 02-06-2020, 06:25 AM
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It burns me that my tax dollars are funding the new infrastructure the Developer is building for future residents. That is just WRONG!
  #39  
Old 02-06-2020, 06:35 AM
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You go GOLFING EAGLE, Love it, needs to be said
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Old 02-06-2020, 06:45 AM
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Originally Posted by golfing eagles View Post
1. So what???? Please show me a locality where the taxpayers do not pay for roads and infrastructure owned by the county. And what does a jointly owned hunting lodge have to do with anything, except maybe jealousy of their success

2. So how did you think the county was going to pay for all the new infrastructure?

3. I'm not sure a 4th town square was a quid pro quo in this deal, but again so what. Isn't it benefit to those newly developed areas south of route 44?

4. Business Parks and commercial developments add to the tax base. Again, you are hooked up on the concept of the "ultra rich"

5. So the Morse family is rich. So what? They were successful developers with a great concept that has earned them a great deal of money. That's what they do. They DON"T OWE YOU ANYTHING. Better yet, why don't you put the time and effort into developing an even better community than The Villages and you too could be a billionaire

6. This just sounds like more class warfare babbling. Apparently you object to the county making deals that will improve infrastructure and bring new business to Sumter because they are making the deals with the "ultra rich". Here's a news flash---people receiving social services are not going to build an industrial park, or a shopping center, or the next Villages. Or would you be happier if the county raised taxes to give it away to "the poor".
I don’t care if the Morse family makes money but why should the tax payers subsidize them. There would be no development if there were no roads built so the developer should pay for that.

In most areas the developer pays for the infrastructure (roads) by developer fees these run about $20,000 per home. The Morse’s pay $900.

The entire counties taxes went up because now the tax payers are paying for this cost instead of the developer. This cost is usually built into the price of the home.
  #41  
Old 02-06-2020, 06:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Love2Swim View Post
Thank you. You have stated the facts. If people choose not to believe them, it is their problem. Some people just can't get their heads out of the sand. And we see a lot of that around here. I will not be voting for any of the present Commissioners. They lost me with the 25% tax increase - complete mismanagement.
I agree get rid of all of them but the tax increase is here to stay because of the 30 year contract.
  #42  
Old 02-06-2020, 06:57 AM
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Originally Posted by neilbcox View Post
please post your thoughts in a business like manner! Be civil.
Civil enough for me.
  #43  
Old 02-06-2020, 07:06 AM
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Originally Posted by crash View Post
I don’t care if the Morse family makes money but why should the tax payers subsidize them. There would be no development if there were no roads built so the developer should pay for that.

In most areas the developer pays for the infrastructure (roads) by developer fees these run about $20,000 per home. The Morse’s pay $900.

The entire counties taxes went up because now the tax payers are paying for this cost instead of the developer. This cost is usually built into the price of the home.
Finally, finally someone has hit the nail on the head (with the possible exception of that $900 number which comes from where?).

In most areas of the country the infrastructure in a new development is paid for by the developer, which of course means the new homeowner. So what is the difference to a new home buyer in TV of a 20K bond or 20K in tax----zero. What's the difference to a lifelong resident of rural Sumter Co. that owns a third generation home paid off long ago---probably pretty large. In essence, it is not the taxpayers subsidizing the "ultra rich" developers, it is all the taxpayers of the county subsidizing mostly northern transplants inside the Villages.
That being said, the taxpayers of the Villages subsidize other projects within Sumter Co. Does anyone doubt that TV has been a miracle for the county, which at one point was the poorest county in Florida? Remember, this entire thread started with the OP babbling on about the "ultra rich" developers. IMHO, the whole country could use more "ultra rich" developers that build what we have here.
  #44  
Old 02-06-2020, 07:22 AM
wirenail444 wirenail444 is offline
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The individual was very civil, what is your problem?
  #45  
Old 02-06-2020, 07:36 AM
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Infrastructure has always been paid through impact fees paid by the developer/builder. These were lowered by the hand-picked commissioners this past year and loaded into a 25% tax increase. You NY people that keep saying everything is great here because in NY it is more sound nuts to me. Since when is NY the model we all should aspire to? If you like the Morses deciding 100% of what goes on in Sumter county keep the current yes-men in office. I think it is time for new blood and new thinking.
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