To the Editor:
The Villagers complain about the outsiders using the squares. They believe their amenity fees should give them exclusive rights to the squares, roads within the villages and most businesses in The Villages. But all county residents have paid for the roads, parking lots and most of the businesses.
However, they forget they are the outsiders, not born, raised, or had any involvement within Sumter, Marion or Lake counties prior to arriving and decided to call it their home. If they feel any type of entitlement to sections with in this counties please remember “you are the outsider”.
As I hear all the time, if not for The Villages the locals would starve, not have jobs, and have a poor quality of life. Allow me to set the record straight… we the locals were doing fine without The Villages! We liked our country life, driving on the roads without insane traffic, managed to do fine with our local businesses and restaurants. We had volunteer firefighters only, much less county employees, and cheaper taxes. My guess is 90 plus percent of the workforce within The Villages are not positions held by local people, but people from everywhere else. The attitude of, “I’ve arrived and the locals should be thankful we’re spending our money here” that is an arrogant attitude. Did you remind everyone who lived in your prior home town how grateful they should be that YOU CHOOSE to live in the community and spend your income in? How would that go over? Trust me, most long time residents homegrown people would rather have our trees, roads, slower pace of life, small businesses back before the over development, high taxes, more pollution, the mound of garbage piling up in Lake Panasoffkee, and never ending building and destruction of the land.
Bottom line, don’t think the squares should be exclusive to The Villagers only and no locals (outsiders) allowed. Keep in mind who is the outsider.
Terri Appel
Bushnell
