To the Editor:
Once and for all – impact fees are taxes! The should be used to pay the cost of the impact on local communities created by new development. The ongoing cost to maintain the necessary improvements should be paid by the property taxes generated from the new building. The only question is who should pay the bill.
In Sumter County because the impact fees were insufficient, a county bond was issued and will be paid for by taxpayers. Do you believe that is how it should work? If so, then you do not support an increase in impact fees. If you think new development should be fully funded by local taxpayers then you believe impact fees should not be increased.
I believe impact fees should be fair to the taxpayers and fair to the developers. But, the bill must be paid and that should be paid by the person or persons benefiting from the development, the builder, the homeowner or business seeking to expand.
If new services are required the upfront cost must by born by the person making the profits not the taxpayer. Don’t forget, governments have no money except the money they take from us. Businesses benefit from tax deduction for expenditures they make to expand their business – individuals cannot do that. In the end the taxpayer and consumer pay all bills and they are the same person – you! My two cents.
Robert Nyce
Village of El Cortez
