If you lived in Wildwood or Leesburg
 

If you paid an extra hundred dollars a month in taxes to Wildwood or Leesburg, you would understand how we already overpay for what seems like nothing in return.

We see the justification for those taxes generally under their term “Economic Development.”

Now we have the super cool parking deck for our thrift store and a beauty shop that houses a car or two per week. Of course because of “Economic Development” taxpayers to Wildwood paid 50,000 dollars per parking space in that lot.

I know the Sheriff’s Department can respond to Wildwood needs, but Wildwood already has an over staffed police department.

My point, there is waste, there is taxation redundancy.

absolutely correct. . people want to eliminate successful programs just to be disruptors, instead of just being sensible, and making adjustments, such as the first 200,000 of valuation is zero, similar to the single married income tax deduction. . . .

but upsetting all kinds of planned budgets, both spending and raising money, has unknown unintended consequences. . lots of political idiocracy going around these days. .

its expensive to move somewhere, both business and citizens, and then have all the financial rules change, and risk those movers fleeing and having the large shortfalls show up, disrupting the plans both citizens and business made for coming here in the first place. .

citizens and business all want stability and predictability, especially retirees and businesses. . disrupting the reasons many moved here to political pandering, doesn't make alot of sense to me. . . when I can plan my spending to my income, knowing that i have a one time property tax payment, versus increased costs for who knows which activities or all activities. .

so for every $5,000 of property taxes, what will be increased? business taxes = restaurant prices, clothing prices, retail prices, alcohol prices, airline tickets, cruise prices, disney prices, rental car prices, gasoline prices, etc. . . there is no free lunch people, no taxes, no services. . property taxes are predictable for county budgets, switching to activity base income can be variable year to year, and very hard to plan and budget for services. . .

This all started with If you own your home outright, why should you be taxed on your property and it has sprouted out to so many thoughts. Everything else I buy and own isn't taxed, so why should my home be taxed if it is paid in full?

No Property Taxes Would be a Huge Influx of Development
 

Exactly!

One positive would be a booming real estate sector. Many would consider Florida as the place to move to or retire in. Further, financial institutions would see those 2.5 % mortgages paid off. Florida would explode with building and development.

As it seems you haven't noticed, Florida is already exploding with building and development.

for public services because you live here. . . if you don't pay property taxes, the other items you own may be taxed to fund the public services. . .

unless you want the fire department to charge only the customers it services, so an EMT ambulance call will cost $6,000 or so, and if you say ok, fine, and my insurance will pick that up, well, your health insurance will go up to cover that payment. . . or not cover it at all

public services are not free, this isn't a communistic country, its a mixed socialism/capitalism society, where some public service costs are socialized, such as roads, fire, police, and other local services. .

The services provided by the county need to be funded somehow and what better way than to tax the people who use the services? The people who use the services are the people who live here. The people who live here either own or rent property here. Taxing property in the county is a great way to fund the services provided by the county.

Yes, the county levies a small sales tax. If the property tax was replaced by an increased county sales tax then it would need to be raised from 1% to 6.5% making the overall sales tax 12.5%. Lake and Marion counties would love for that to happen.

So if taxing the residents of Sumter County for the services provided by Sumter County is out, what would you propose as an alternative?

You sure about that? You didn't pay tax on your car? You don't pay tax on your meals when you dine out? You didn't pay tax on your computer or phone? You pay no tax on every gallon of gas you buy for your car, or every unit of electricity you use on your EV? Yes, yes you do pay tax on all of that. It's not property tax, but it's tax. You also pay registration fees every year on your car based on weight - it's not called a tax, but that's what it is.

Most things you buy - are taxed.

Yes... Taxed ONCE! Not yearly, in perpetuity...

I think they discovered outrageous inflation about 3 years ago. Sumter country probably cheapest county to live in I villages. Marion being the highest. So far my estimated county taxes down about 3% from last year, but I won’t hold my breath until I pay it.

Red light cameras.. ..

So, why does that make it right? :faint: Just cause they tax us don’t make it god given right. O wait??????

Elections are coming up.

OK, let’s go with that. All other things being equal, why should one person who owns their home free and clear not pay any taxes, and their next door neighbor, who also owns their home free and clear, have to pay taxes simply because they are a part time resident? Either you own the home or you don’t. And part time residents typically utilize less services funded by taxes than full timers? Go figure, this whole property tax thing is just buying votes.

Be cautious. You get what you pay for. Taxes pay for education, and many services to its people, too many to mention. Education in both states are lacking even though we are told otherwise. Just check the records for yourself.