Tax and Spend Barrett

Desmond Barrett continues to make reckless and irresponsible public statements that prove conclusively that he is a died in the wool, tax and spend liberal.

At the last Water Board meeting Barrett boldly announced that he wanted to "do away with impact fees." He added that he was, "tired of sticking it to builders and developers."

Instead he wants to stick it to the taxpayers who already live here.

Someone has to pay the high cost of the urban problems that come with explosive growth. And even the leaders of the National Association of Home Builders and National Association of Realtors agree that growth must pay for itself, and the burden not be shifted to local taxpayers.

Without builder impact fees, politicians like Mr. Barrett will look to increased property taxes, sales taxes, transfer taxes, and income taxes to pay for new roads, schools and infrastructure. Nobody wants that, especially not builders and developers, because higher taxes will surely kill the local economy, and kill the goose that lays their golden egg.

I suspect that young Mr. Barrett's ridiculous comments were designed to suck up to business people he hopes will finance his overly ambitious and laughable plans to run for the State House of Representatives. But don't be concerned, people who have to make a payroll every week are a lot smarter than that.

My business supporters and I have taken a strong position on impact fees that will make them fair to builders, developers and the taxpayers; so that growth will continue to pay for growth, and so that our construction-based job market will continue to thrive:

* Revenues from builder impact fees should be limited; separated from other government funds, and always be directly accounted for;

* Builder impact fees should only be used for capital improvements related to a specific new development;

* Builder impact fees should be collected and spent only at the point the impact is realized in our community. Lehigh Acres, for example, generates millions in annual impact fees that are spent elsewhere. We need to keep this money here at home.

* Exemptions to builder impact fees should be provided for housing sold to low-income and moderate-income households.

I've spent a lifetime earning a living in the real estate and homebuilding industries, and I have been deeply involved in growth management issues and smart growth initiatives. I was also named a "Crusader for Freedom" for signing, and abiding by, the National Tax Cap Pledge. I therefore speak with the voice of reason and experience. Mr. Barrett, on the other hand, shoots from the hip, shoots at friends and foes alike, and often shoots himself in the foot.

I will continue to fight Desmond Barrett's fluff projects and spending programs at your East County Water Control District, and in any campaign that he undertakes for any public office.

We simply cannot afford Mr. Flip-flop at the School Board, the Courthouse, the State House or wherever his tax and spend mind wanders.