| Local governments are being hit with a heavy | | | | fastest growing counties could do is put a |
| economic burden with the slowdown in residential | | | | moratorium on building -- especially on residential |
| real estate. Sizeable reductions in new home | | | | building. This would give counties a moment to |
| construction and demands from the state of | | | | regroup, reflect, and figure out what is best for |
| Florida requiring local governments to cut back | | | | the existing people already living in their region. |
| their budgets are taking their toll. Fewer permits | | | | Counties need to go back and reassess the |
| being pulled for new home construction means | | | | viability of their growth management plans. Until |
| less revenue for local governments. Local | | | | counties can get a better handle on enforcing |
| governments therefore are hurriedly trying to find | | | | their growth management plans, they need to |
| ways to make growth pay for itself. | | | | place moratoriums on all new residential |
| Raising impact fees on all new construction is the | | | | construction. |
| first way local governments are responding. Local | | | | Though moratoriums cause resentment from |
| officials have tried to make development pay for | | | | private land owners and others, the counties |
| itself for years, but the Home Builders Association | | | | would benefit from them for a time. The |
| and Realtors Association always seem to have an | | | | economic slow down in residential real estate is |
| increasing effect on what public officials finally | | | | certainly one argument that can be made for not |
| decide to do. This holds down fees based on | | | | needing to place moratoriums. Nevertheless at the |
| what the counties paid experts tell them. | | | | very least counties need to increase their impact |
| I know that navigating through these competing | | | | fees to the original amounts their paid experts |
| demands is like walking a tightrope since neither | | | | told them they should be. An increase in impact |
| side really knows what the real effects may be. | | | | fees will help existing homeowners values rise and |
| What however we must ask ourselves is if | | | | thereby increase property taxes to help counties |
| growth and the associated fees were really | | | | financially until the huge inventory of unsold homes |
| paying for the impact growth places on our | | | | are bought. |
| infrastructure (roads, sewer, water, garbage, | | | | Counties need to be proactive when setting |
| electricity, and probably most noticeably schools), | | | | appropriate impact fee amounts rather than being |
| than why do these items seem so congested, | | | | overly influenced by those in industry who are |
| fees continually increase, and our schools remain | | | | merely profit driven. Growth management plans |
| over crowded? | | | | that come from county and municipal |
| Impact fees are certainly not keeping up with nor | | | | governments free from outside manipulation or |
| paying for this growth. Hence these fees continue | | | | coercion best serve the people living in the region. |
| to rise. Honestly, the best thing that some of the | | | | |