To the Editor:
What a load of BS. Talk about state-controlled media. The Villages Daily Sun, owned, operated, and controlled by The Villages developer has sunk to new lows.
I don’t think you could see more one-sided reporting and attack propaganda media reporting in state-controlled Russia or China.
Wednesday’s “the world is coming to an end” article was so blatantly slanted and self serving, it was almost comical.
And then they doubled down in Thursday’s paper. Wow, complete arrogance. They obviously believe we are indeed that stupid. They had quotes from Villages officials, and of course all their business partners who contributed to the ousted commissioner’s campaigns and are now lining up to vilify the new commissioners, no doubt at the urging of the master.
“We the People” not the Developer or his loyal suck-ups, voted overwhelmingly to oust the previous yes men commissioners and their 25 percent tax increase (mine was 28 percent).
The new commissioners were elected to address this ridiculous increase and the equally ridiculous low impact fee the developer pays per housing unit. The owners of these new housing units and area businesses are the ones that will be using 95 percent of the new roads and infrastructure these impact fees pay for. And all these whining business leaders are going to continue to profit enormously from the new homes.
So why are the residents north of SR 44, and especially the residents north of 466 and 466A, who will rarely if ever use these roads being asked to foot the bill? Where the Hell was all the outrage from all these businesses we support when they raised our taxes? These two Daily Sun articles tell us over and over that “Tax Increases” will destroy the county and “cripple business growth.” Give me a break. Apparently, according to the Daily Sun and these business leaders, the current increase in impact fees is very bad, but the 25 percent increase on residents was very good. Talk about hypocrisy.
Why was this commission meeting so far south away from the voters most affected? It was very convenient to be so close to construction sites so all of those construction vehicles and pickup trucks could take up all the parking spaces. Gee, I wonder who could have coordinated all of that.
So now it’s clear the Developer has chosen to try to control and intimidate the newly elected commissioners through attacks using their newspaper and their loyal and wealthy business partners, as well as stacking commission meetings. When the “State” controls the press they will always use it to try to control and contain their opponents.
By the way, I have been here long enough to remember the substantial tax increase they wanted to fund the first hospital. It couldn’t possibly be built without the new tax the Daily Sun told us over and over. Well we voted the tax down and guess what, the hospital was built and doing quite well. Now we hear that the new hospital would be in jeopardy if we increase the impact fee. More BS, just like the rest of it.
Luke Courtemanche
Village of Haciendas of Mission Hills
