Taxpayers urged to pack impact fee meeting

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BROOKSVILLE — Figuring that builders and related interests would pack today's County Commission meeting on possibly cutting impact fees, Commissioner Diane Rowden on Monday fired a pre-emptive strike.

She e-mailed her lengthy list of constituents, telling them that "if you're interested in the future of our county,'' they need to come and be heard.

Her e-mail went on to say that reducing impact fees "has only one effect: It increases the profits of the builders and developers. In the final analysis, there is no need for their greed.''

Rowden said Monday that the purpose of her e-mail was simple: "I think taxpayers should fill up the boardroom.''

The builders, real estate agents and other business leaders who requested the impact fee public hearing now are asking for more time to put together their materials. They want to move the hearing to July 29 even though there is no commission meeting scheduled for that day.

In a letter to Commission Chairman Chris Kingsley on Friday, the business liaison committee said it needed the delay because while impact fees were to be discussed today, other economic stimulus issues had been split out by county staff for consideration next week.

"It was clear the commission wanted to hear both issues together to make an informed decision,'' stated the letter signed by Randy Woodruff, chairman of the business liaison committee.

The committee is composed of the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce, the Hernando Builders Association, the Hernando County Association of Realtors and Hernando Progress.

The committee also noted that it plans to have an expert present research conducted on the issues, and suggested the July 29 date for that discussion.

To hedge their bets, the builders also sent out a call for action to their members late Monday, urging them to come to today's meeting and prove Rowden's e-mail wrong.

The business community pitched the idea of reducing impact fees in order to qualify Hernando County to participate in a one-time-only fund of $20-million statewide to provide first-time home buyers with down payment assistance. Counties qualify only under certain specific instances such as if they reduce impact fees by 25 percent for at least 18 months.

Rowden said she doesn't believe a delay in the hearing should be granted and that she is ready to hear the information and make a decision today.

In her e-mail to constituents, she states that there would be a "substantial'' negative effect on the community if the fees were reduced.

"It sacrifices our future and our infrastructure for builders and developers who have no long-term investment in our county,'' she wrote. "The only way to offset such a reduction in impact fees is to raise taxes. This puts the burden squarely and solely on Hernando County taxpayers while allowing the builders and developers to walk away.''

While Dudley Hampton Jr., president of the Builders Association, said Rowden was free to drum up support for her perspective, he also said he was disappointed by her unwillingness to listen to all the facts before taking her stand. He said the business community simply wants to find a way to stimulate Hernando County's sluggish economy.

"Everybody keeps beating the builders and developers up about this. This is not about the builders. This is about getting our piece of that $20-million,'' he said.

The money could help first-time home buyers and it could help by moving some of the glut of already-built and available houses off the inventory. Once that happens, "the free market will take care of our interests,'' Hampton said of his own building company and other home builders.

Any help to that aspect of the market also helps people in other industries, such as title companies and insurance companies — and these businesses, along with the builders association members, "these people live here,'' he said.

Hampton said providing jobs for the local residents was the key issue. "I'm just working to keep people working,'' he said.

Comments on this article

by kelly	Jul 16, 2008 7:25 PM
Have you seen a construction crew lately. These builders are not providing jobs for citizens, but illegal aliens. My uncle is a drywaller for 30 years and cannot find work, even when they are building.

by Kelly	Jul 16, 2008 7:25 PM
Noone is buying the houses. There are brand new houses for rent right now because they cant sell them. And if they do our schools are too over crowded to fit the kids who will live in them. We have a water shortage. More people is ridiculus.

by Jo-Jo	Jul 16, 2008 4:05 PM
Jesse - The real issue is that the economy is tanking, and new home construction is inevitably grinding to a halt. Our problem is that we're too dependent on construction industries: we need to diversify to keep people at work.

by Pete	Jul 15, 2008 8:42 PM
How about a refund to the people that paid twice the amount now being charged for road paving, some 2 to 3 years ago. How in the heck could the price go down by half ? Something doesn't smell right ! Impact Fees are Legal Bribery !

by Tom	Jul 15, 2008 8:36 PM
Rowden is wrong, and she can't help herself, she just loves taxes. This will help builders to start building now, more jobs now, and that has a ripple effect on other companies and jobs in town. There was a time not to long ago when we had no impact

by ronnie r.	Jul 15, 2008 8:32 PM
Bye Bye Diane your wrong on this and you don't care about the taxpayers of this county.

by Jesse	Jul 15, 2008 8:31 PM
Jo-Jo- So are you submitting that no growth is the answer to slow economic times?? Economic GROWTH comes from growing, including housing. Extra high taxes on any industry are wrong and high taxes on no home sales equals NO revenue!

by Jesse	Jul 15, 2008 8:31 PM
Anti growth goobers should be happy now. Thousands out of work, including mostly blue collar workers that they babble to want to help with lower taxes etc. With out jobs it does not matter if their taxes are low! Amber must still have a job, for now

by Jo-Jo	Jul 15, 2008 5:24 PM
Anyone who thinks increasing housing growth and construction will be enough to sustain this county's economy is a complete buffoon.

by Kendall	Jul 15, 2008 5:04 PM
Wake up! There is no revenue with no building going on. Sitting inventory is not helping your communities. But yes, let's do nothing and watch those dollars roll in. Let's RAISE impact fees to help raise even less! Brilliant!

by Disgusted	Jul 15, 2008 4:06 PM
Any viable industry should be able to sustain itself. Taxpaying residents should never be obligated to sacrifice or endure an unfair burden for the sake of business. They should do what we do when there's no work: Learn a new career or move away.

by Rich	Jul 15, 2008 12:45 PM
Does anyone ever consider the increase in taxable value when a house is built?? This property tax (impact) is paid forever. Does this increase in revenue ever get considered?? Do you think that impact fees are not passed to the buyer? Get real

by Jesse	Jul 15, 2008 12:44 PM
So it is okay to prop up any business that is unrelated to builders? Lowering the impact fees is the best idea to come along in a while! Pasco' fees are ridiculous! Growth pays, just ask all the people that are out of work now that there is none!

by Amber	Jul 15, 2008 12:44 PM
DIANE IS ON A ROLL!!KEEP IT UP DIANE WE NEED YOU ANOTHER 4 YEARS PLUS!!!!!

by Tom D	Jul 15, 2008 12:44 PM
This will add to the already massive shortfall we will experience.

by Mary	Jul 15, 2008 12:29 AM
As stated,this will help the builders sell the homes in inventory-helps THEM ONLY while we lose much needed revenue.We are not guaranteed 1 cent of the $20mil.Diane has the clear picture-the other commissioners are clouded.Truly care? Vote NO today!!

by lou	Jul 14, 2008 9:25 PM
If Impact Fees are lowered, can those who paid their fees last year get a refund? Rowden is right on this one. She also has every right to notify her constituents to voice their opinion at a scheduled meeting.