BRADENTON — On Thursday, Manatee County Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with plans to raise impact fees to 100 percent of the rate suggested by consultants in its most recent study update.
In 2024, the previous board voted to limit fees to an incremental increase that would eventually reach 100 percent of a long-outdated study, which had resulted in 44 cents being allocated to every dollar prescribed in the new study, costing the county hundreds of millions in potential infrastructure funding.
The approval comes in the wake of thinly veiled threats of lawsuits from developer Pat Neal at the last hearing.
"Why are (developers) scared to go talk to the governor and to the president and all these people that they have influence over, apparently?" asked Commission Chair George Kruse. "Just look at the bills that come out of Tallahassee. That’s where the real money cost is. That’s what’s increasing their—inflating their costs. It’s the tariffs. It’s the deportations. It’s the labor cost increases."
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ruthlawler
I thank every Commissioner to FINALLY doing the right thing and voting to having these impact fees now set at 100%, to go in effect in 90 days. This has been delayed far to long. Ruth Lawler
Sunday, June 8 Report this