The Fair Government for Sumter Political Action Committee has been formed with the goal of ousting the five incumbent Sumter County commissioners.
In a news release, the PAC announced it wants to replace the incumbents “with independent, qualified, thoughtful candidates who will always place the interests of Sumter County residents first.”
The formation of the PAC was fueled by the commission’s unanimous decision last year to raise property taxes on Sumter County residents by 25 percent.
The PAC is headed by Dr. Reed Panos, a resident of Sunset Pointe in The Villages.
The immediate targets of the PAC are the three Villagers serving on the commission who will appear on the ballot later this year – Al Butler, Don Burgess and Steve Printz.
“These incumbents have ignored the wishes and welfare of residents and have, among other things, massively increased our taxes to pay for the Developer’s infrastructure, failed to oppose the draining of our aquifer, and increased the likelihood of sinkholes,” the PAC said in its news release.
The PAC has endorsed three challengers opposing the incumbents:
County District 1: Villager Gary Search, who “advocated strongly for Sumter County taxpayers, both at the Sumter County Commission Open Hearings regarding the proposed tax increase and afterwards.” He has experience as the president of his Township Commission in Pennsylvania.
County District 3: Villager Craig Estep, who has “served with distinction as a Villages Community Development District 1 Supervisor and has long demonstrated his independence, knowledge, and dedication to those residents.” Estep has been running an ambitious campaign.
County District 5: Villager Oren Miller, who launched the Reverse One Sumter initiative, and, “like the other candidates that we are supporting, opposed the 25 percent property tax increase. He has monitored the County Commission meetings for the past five years, and he has thereby gained considerable insight into county issues and government.”
For more information about Fair Government for Sumter, visit www.fg4s.org.
