| # | First & Last Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chad Stewart | I fully agree with this petition. I also created it so I think it would be helpful and especially if a news story statewide was done announcing no impact fees on residential or commercial development in Columbia county, FL for the next 3 years. |
| 2 | Anonymous | Removing the impact fee will enable our builders to offer more to the homebuyers of Columbia County |
| 3 | Jacob Sparks | I strongly support impact fees being removed. It does not make sense to penalize people for building a home Home Building spurs growth and jobs and additional tax revenue in our community. |
| 4 | Charlie Sparks | I fully support the elimination of this tax and by doing so the new home industry will be helped. |
| 5 | Jim Curry | Please remove the Impact Fees immediatly. Jim Curry |
| 6 | Aaron Cady | I think that the impact fees could not have come at a worse time. Therefore should be suspended till further growth is fueled. |
| 7 | Jamie Cady | Need to spur growth in Columbia County |
| 8 | Curt Cady | Bring more people to Columbia County by leading the way |
| 9 | Josh Sparks | |
| 10 | Josh Sparks | |
| 11 | Robin A Schwartz | It is a great time to show empathy for the public and the tough times they are going through by either reducing or removing the impact fees. Dixie County Commissioners are addressing the same issue and are leaning to cutting their $3500 fee in half. |
| 12 | Sharon Selder | I am a Realtor and I see the impact these fees have on the market right now with the sale of vacant land and with the builders that I work with. We do need to suspend this impact fee until we are back on our feet as a community. |
| 13 | Taylor Goes | |
| 14 | Libronio Goes | |
| 15 | Libronio Goes | |
| 16 | Mark Cook | A lot of people in the community and the local economy as a whole rely on the home building industry. It is important to help encourage building and generating revenues that are a bi-product from the housing industry versus an impact fee or building penalty. |
| 17 | Cynthia Kirby | This is needed for Lake City |
| 18 | Robert Griffiths | |
| 19 | Rob Stewart | Eliminating the impact fees would spur growth and industry, and would help to create jobs and revitalize our local economy. |
| 20 | James Cook | |
| 21 | Nancy Rogers | I believe that the impact fees must be suspended, our community is already in financial straits with the housing market, the impact fees hinders rather than helping to create a solution. |
| 22 | Nicolas Hemes | It s imperative that Columbia County remove all impact fees for 2009 and even rollback 2008 fees. In this terrible economy we need more building here to support our continued expansion into the future. |
| 23 | johnkeen | |
| 24 | Joel Phinney | * |
| 25 | Ernest Vargas | Impact fees are an obstacle to all the vacant lots for sale and also for the people who are having trouble getting financing to build. It causes more harm than good and does not add dollars to the county, |
| 26 | Teena Ruffo | with the economy in such a bad state seems like the government is squeezing enough money out of us!! They should ask for a bailout instead!!! |
| 27 | Candi DeLuca | |
| 28 | Stephanie Lunde | Columbia County, as well as other areas of Florida, have been hit hard in this recession. Both Real Estate and construction have been hit the hardest. With property values declining and lost jobs in this industry, adding the impact fees on top of the costs of construction or a new mobile home set up is like adding insult to injury. New home construction can not compete with the short sale and foreclosure market. If we have any hope of stimulating this indusry in Columbia County, the impact fees MUST be lifted or we have NO hope of any new home starts in the near future therefore many jobs are lost. Please suspend the impact fees for Columbia County. |
| 29 | Blake Lunde | One of the hardest factors in this whole recession is that builders are faced with the declining values of real estate and the ability to compete with these declining prices. The impact fee creates a larger obstacle for us to overcome. The suspension of this fee would be a start in the recovery of an economy that looks to be very uncertain. |
| 30 | Jamin martin | please lets help not hurt building new homes thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| 31 | Karen Hohman | It is imperative that these fees are removed or cut in order to bring more growth back to our county. |
| 32 | don reed | It is just a simple step that we can take to accually help stimulate our local economy! |
| 33 | Joey Nickelson | This is muched needed! |
| 34 | Sandy Kishton | |
| 35 | David Barber | Reduce impact fees to make home buying more affordable. Revenue will be raised from increased property taxes as more homes are occupied in our County. |
| 36 | john f mcfeely Jr | please remove impact fees |
| 37 | Darrell Hunt | I own a small group of apartments on Turner Ave. that I have wanted to expand but have not due to the impact fees. If removed, I would consider this expansion again. |
| 38 | Vic Lantroop | THIS FEE IMPACTS THE BUYER IN SEVERAL WAYS WITH LARGER DOWN PAYMENT,WILL IT APPRAISE FOR TOTAL AMMOUNT FINANCED,OVERALL HOUSING BUDGET ALLOWED BY THE LENDER ECT. ECT. ANY RELEIF IF ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME WOULD BE WELL RECEIVED. |
| 39 | Travis Williams | Please help spur new construction by eliminating impact fees to make home building more affordable. |
| 40 | Katee Becker | Yes, please do so. |
| 41 | LISA CROUCH | REMOVING THE IMPACT FEE IS GREATLY NEEDED |
| 42 | Isaac Bratkovich | As a local custom home builder in the Lake City, Florida area, I could not agree more that the impact fees for this area need to be removed indefinately. At a time like this, I see impact fees hindering growth, hindering the capability of customers wanting to build & putting a damper on our local economy. If we all are looking to help stimulate this area, shouldnt we look for ways to help people come here rather than looking for ways to deter them? |
| 43 | Luke Sparks | As a local realtor in our community, I believe that removing the impact fees would be a very positive move at this time. |
| 44 | Tony Skowron | This would really be a help to the local economy and area |
| 45 | Kim McLean | we need to help our community do something to spur this economy. |
| 46 | Charles Skowron | Great idea! |
| 47 | Justin Fitzhugh | I believe impact fees are a major strain on the local economy. While I understand the local government is in need of raising more money, I believe impact fees work against this goal. When you make it hard for local business to succeed and turn a profit, and ultimately the fee is passed on to the end user (higher home prices) the local government actually loses money. If it is harder to build/develop, and it becomes more expensive for a consumer to buy a product, production and sales go down. Therefore, the local government suffers from less growth. Lake City needs to be pro growth, pro business, this is the way our local economy will grow and stand out as a desirable place for a business to operate and an individual to settle. Lake City is one of the best locations in Florida for a business to operate, we are directly in the path of I-75, I-10, a major railway system, and next door to Jacksonville’s ports. Let’s focus on being pro business, pro growth and our local economy will boom! |
| 48 | Elizabeth Tyler | This is a good idea at this time |
| 49 | Brodie Allred | The impact fees are unfair and hinder growth for lower end properties. If someone builds a small home that is 1,000 SF versus a 5,000 SF home, the fee is the same. This is unfair and has definitely hampered growth in the area. I speak from experience as I am a State Certified General Appraiser and have seen the effects this has had on the market. This needs to be stopped. |
| 50 | Caleb Laughlin | As a local construction business owner, I strongly believe that removing impact fees would immediately stimulate growth, put more people to work and ultimately result in a net revenue increase for the county. |
| # | First & Last Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Jo Lytte | Please repeal the impact fees. The timeing of imposing these fees were way off. |
| 52 | Matthew Skowron | We definitely need to remove the impact fees!!! |
| 53 | Anonymous | Please Remove the Impact Fee |
| 54 | Dan Magstadt | |
| 55 | JBH Developers | We have been looking forward to building affordable housing though out the state of Fla, But the impact fees has limited us to work in a very few areas. |
| 56 | Anonymous | I am looking into building a house and it would be nice not to have to worry about impact fees when there are so many other things to pay for and deal with. |
| 57 | Mike Stewart | |
| 58 | David Disosway | I think it would be a good Incentive to encourage people to build a new home. |
| 59 | Lucia M. delauz-Sami | |
| 60 | Philip Kennedy | Please remove the impact fees in Columbia County. |
| 61 | Austin Schlimmer | . |
| 62 | Andrew Guinn | I think this will help |
| 63 | Kathy Lovelace | I am in favor of removing the impact fee. |
| 64 | Micah Linton | Suspend Impact Fees in Columbia County! |
| 65 | Tom Cady | I agree! The negative impact of this fee outweighs the benefits. |
| 66 | Chuck Davis | For those of us in the real estate business we hear complaints all the time. Too many fees! A business let alone residential cannot afford this. Impact fees are a supplemental fee to the local or state governments to help them meet their budgets. Who supplements the business when sales are down? Who supplements the home owner when they lose their jobs? These taxes are bad for many reasons! |
| 67 | Scott Kennedy | With as much impact as our housing industry has taken lately I think this is a necessity. We cannot afford to penalize people for taking a positive step right now. If anything, we need to figure out positive incentives to growth. Thank you! |
| 68 | Brandi N. Hebb, Erkinger Home Builders | These impact fees should have been imposed when the market was strong. Now we are struggling to build our market and we, as builders, are hitting road blocks from every angle. |
| 69 | Matthew A. Erkinger, Erkinger Home Builders | These impact fees should have been imposed when the market was strong. Now we are struggling to build our market and we, as builders, are hitting road blocks from every angle. |
| 70 | Frank McElhaney | We need to re-address the recent addition of impact fees on new construction. In this economy, we do not need to be adding to the cost of building a new home. |
| 71 | Kurt Magstadt | Removing Impact Fees would be helpful to our local economy. This should be a high priority in helping the strength of our entire community. |
| 72 | Ben lofstrom | We need to do all that we can to help the local economy and this would be one way to make a difference. |
| 73 | mitchell lee | thank you for considering removing our impact fees. this is a very important move to help spur home sells. |
| 74 | Bryan Zecher | Great Idea. Should have been done last year!! |
| 75 | Anonymous | We need to do everything we can to help people during these tough times. |
| 76 | Scott Curry | It would be good for the local marketplace |
| 77 | Josh Willems | We need to do all we can to get people to build homes!! |
| 78 | Josh Willems | We need to do all we can to get people to build homes!! |
| 79 | chris pharley | What the heck where you thinking in the first place... Get these impact fees removed ASAP!!!! |
| 80 | Brian Crawford | Not only do I feel like the impact fees should supsended I think that the county should reimburse all impact fees paid to them for 2009. |
| 81 | Brian Crawford | Not only do I feel like the impact fees should supsended I think that the county should reimburse all impact fees paid to them for 2009. |
| 82 | Melvin Eberly | Lets give the home buyer a break. This will help lower the cost of a home. |
| 83 | Lawton Unrau | Removal of these impact fees is essential at this time. |
| 84 | Paul Kennedy | Please remove the impact fees |
| 85 | Robert Fillyaw | Please suspend impact fees |
| 86 | Matt Rocco | |
| 87 | Anonymous | Lets reduce or eliminate the impact fees. |
| 88 | Mike Lienemann | |
| 89 | Jared Cady | It is hard enough for people to build a house at a price that someone will pay for even without the additional cost of impact fees. |
| 90 | Becky Laughlin | I think that removing impact fees in this county is much needed. |
| 91 | Joseph Roche | I definately agree we need to remove impact fees in order to help spur the economy. |
| 92 | Daniel Kampmeyer | I think temporarily removing this barrier to building, would more than payoff again down the road. It may be just the assistance needed to help get the ball rolling again, at which point the fees could probably be re-implemented and would benefit the county much more than not doing anything. Not doing anything may cause the county to lose much potential earnings to other counties in the state. |
| 93 | Anonymous | Thanks |
| 94 | Joe Metzger | Definitely needs to be done soon. |
| 95 | Nathan Beamsley | |
| 96 | Nathan Beamsley | |
| 97 | Matt Cason | |
| 98 | lester mckellum | The elevated impact fees makes it hard for developers to build affordable housing.I am in favor of removing the impact fees. |
| 99 | Anderson Karen | This really needs to be removed I know a lot of people who can not build because of it. |
| 100 | Anderson Thomas | It's way to high for people in this area. It is hard enough to get a loan to build & you are making it even harder. |
| # | First & Last Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Rehm Crystal | Do it now so I can build my home Please!!!! |
| 102 | Shamima Hardcastle | need to do as as possible |
| 103 | Greg Ridilla | No new taxes..... |
| 104 | Charlie Sparks | remove this tax immediately! |
| 105 | Jeremy Morris | Remove at once. |
| 106 | Anonymous | Remove Impact Fees Now |
| 107 | Eve Kite | Please remove impact fees . |
| 108 | Anonymous | A moratorium on the impack fees would be good |
| 109 | Alan Moody | Now is the time to show good leadership by dropping impact fees,every little bit helps. |
| 110 | Alan Moody | Now is the time to show good leadership by dropping impact fees,every little bit helps. |
| 111 | Roy & Tracy Bowling | Yes !!!!!!!! Please remove the impact fees. Thank You Roy Bowling (561) 662-3286 |
| 112 | cody blank | I agree we need to remove impact fees for columbia county it will help the county as a whole. |
| 113 | Anonymous | impact fees need to be removed. It is hard enough for peoople to find jobs right now or if they have one they cannot afford an impact fee let alone building permits and environmental health(septic permits). |
| 114 | Cesta Newman | The impact fees are a major burden to our tax payers and directly affect the growth of housing in a community. |
| 115 | Ben Zuber | Lake City is an ideal geographic location for tremendous growth, however the current impact fees must be removed to make new housing affordable. Right now we need every possible tool to stimulate local new construction growth. Removing the impact fees is a good start to this. |
| 116 | Chris Cady | I agree. This is something that should have been done long before now!! These types of "fees" completely work against the very thing we are trying to promote... our community and local economy. |
| 117 | Scot Kelly Bigham | Please remove or lessen impact fees, this might spur some growth, building, and higher tax basis in Columbia county. Thanks Scot Kelly Bigham |
| 118 | Andrew Rocco | When it comes to the age old argument, whether or not growth pays for itself, there are many opinions. With growth comes impact to roads, schools, police and fire, as well as higher property tax revenue and more dollars pumped into the local economy. Regardless of which side of the argument you find yourself aligned with, there is no question that we are seeing the effects of slowed growth in every economic indicator. The healing will not start till we begin to see growth again in our local and national economy. It is with this in mind that I would ask of each one of you look very seriously at suspending impact fees in the coming months in order to help give a little relief the building community and encourage new growth within the county. There are several counties across the state that have taken up this very controversial subject, and have chosen to embrace impact fee suspension until the economic tides begin to turn. While there has to be some cost to the impact of growth, now is not the time to tax additional growth that will bring us out of the recession that we are in. Columbia County can be the next county in the state to begin incentivizing new growth so that we can return to healthy economy in a short period of time. |
| 119 | Stephanie Anderson | These high impact fees is why we have yet been able to build on our land. |
| 120 | Curtis Poarch | Please remove this fee I would be great if we could build our house. |
| 121 | Katrina Blalock | I feel like I am being robbed when I have to pay an availability fee for the eight apartments I own and rent in the city. Just think about the person who owns 200 units with the economy being the way it is and have 60 vacancies. Who would like to try to pay those availability fees each month? Something to really think about. |