The Property Owners Association in The Villages is urging a big turnout at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Sumter County Commission at Everglades Recreation Center.
Commissioners will meet at 6 p.m. to discuss the fire assessment fee.
The POA issued an in-depth commentary after a full-court press in Sunday’s edition of The Villages Daily Sun, apparently aimed at pressuring commissioners to back off the increase because it would be too burdensome to businesses. In addition to a front-page news story, Terry Yoder of the T&D companies, penned an Opinion piece for the Daily Sun, in which he accused the commissioners of “trying to pull the wool over” taxpayers’ eyes. He called the increase “an assault on your local businesses.”
In response, the POA issued the following commentary:
It was inevitable that when the budget came out for funding the Villages Public Safety Division (VPSD) after assuming operation for Emergency Transportation Services (ambulances), there would be an increase in the amount Villages property owners would pay. No one, including the VPSD and District government, could give an accurate number until a budget was created.
Last year a referendum was held to determine the establishment of an Independent Special Fire District for The Villages. It was a hotly fought debate and the referendum was ultimately defeated by a slim margin. The POA’s stance on the special district was that it was not the right time to implement a new district because there were too many unanswered questions. The Developer of course supported a new district because the initial governing board would be appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, to whom The Developer, family members, and associated business such as T & D have already contributed thousands of dollars to the Governor’s presidential campaign.
The proposal was to cap any ad valorem tax at 1 Mil, charge the current $124 fire district fee, and add .75 per $1000 of improvements on each property. The District’s estimates were based on a rate to be set by a board that had not yet been appointed that would begin at .1 Mil with no knowledge of what an actual budget or starting rate would be.
The District’s estimates of what each homeowner might pay were based on the lowest allowable Mil rate of .1. These estimates had nothing to do with an actual budget. Ask the District what your increase would be based on the budget that was submitted and you will likely be given the same basic formula that was in the referendum question. (The POA asked and that was the answer.) But how much would it be if the budget required .5 or even the maximum 1 Mil to fund the submitted budget?
The Sumter County Board of Commissioners actually commissioned a study to determine what a fair and equitable assessment fee would be, including the amount commercial businesses would pay. Therein lies the rub – what commercial businesses would pay. Previously commercial businesses paid the same $124 assessment fee regardless of how many parcels the business covered. For example, Sumter County Administrator Bradley Arnold told POA members at the July membership meeting that the property owners at Brownwood (The Developer) paid $124 for six parcels. All of the shopping centers such as Colony Plaza paid $124. Now they will pay for each parcel separately at the proposed commercial rate. Apartments and other multi-family dwellings will also pay per unit.
Conspicuously absent from “The Villages Most Trusted News Source”, a.k.a. The Villages Daily Sun, in its “analysis” published on Sunday, Aug. 20 was that side of the story or any acknowledgement of the study conducted by Sumter County.
The POA urges residents to remember what they asked for last year – its own Fire Department with a reliable ambulance service. Many residents said they didn’t care what it cost. Sumter County Commissioners listened to residents. They took the budget that was submitted and commissioned an independent study.
The POA also urges residents to read the study. Click on https://www.sumtercountyfl.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/22467?fileID=54991.
The POA recognizes that this sounds like and is a lot of money. It is $16.67 more a month. The POA thinks it is well worth the price and urges residents to attend the meeting in support. The meeting is August 22 at 6 P.M. at the Everglades Recreation Center.
