Florida voted yes on Amendment 3. About 7 in 10 Sumter voters said yes, too, in the unofficial results. If you qualify for the bigger homestead tax break, up to $150,000 of your home’s assessed value will be free from non-school property taxes in 2027. That rises to $250,000 in 2028. School taxes and separate…
Florida voters approved a bigger property tax break for qualifying homeowners. In the unofficial results, about 62% statewide and 70% in Sumter County voted yes. The amendment needed 60% statewide and takes effect January 1, 2027. What changes on your tax bill? For homeowners who qualify for the larger homestead exemption, up to $150,000 of…
October 30, 2026 | OurSumter More shopping and dining options are planned for southern Sumter County. New drawings show the Live Oak Shopping Center near McNeill Drive and Marsh Bend Trail in The Villages. What is planned? The plans show large retail buildings, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, drainage areas and utility equipment. The Villages has…
October 30, 2026 | OurSumter | Development & Infrastructure A new shopping destination is taking shape on paper Plans for the Live Oak Shopping Center in The Villages of Southern Oaks provide a closer look at commercial development near McNeill Drive and Marsh Bend Trail in southern Sumter County. The plans identify VOSO #101068, #101250…
RESEARCH DRAFT — October 30, 2026 Public records disclaimer: This is a preliminary, incomplete review, not a full ten-year audit or a final comparison of county budgets. The figures come from publicly available financial records and a third-party compilation of Florida state data. Not all figures have been independently checked against the original audits. Accounting…
RESEARCH DRAFT — PRELIMINARY, INCOMPLETE REVIEW (October 30, 2026) Public records disclaimer This is a preliminary research draft, not a complete or independently audited review of Sumter County finances. Information comes from publicly available government budgets, financial statements, state financial data and identified third-party compilations. Not all ten years have been extracted, reconciled or independently…
Public records show that thousands of tons of garbage are coming to the Heart of Florida Landfill. More than 5,300 tons of garbage were billed to Pinellas County for deliveries to the Heart of Florida Landfill in Sumter County during September 2026. OurSumter obtained the records from Pinellas County. Who Arranged the Disposal? Pinellas County’s…
Public records reveal why Clearwater’s garbage was redirected to Heart of Florida, including a major difference in disposal costs. SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — More than 5,300 tons of garbage from Clearwater were delivered to the Heart of Florida Landfill in September 2026, according to invoices obtained by OurSumter through a public records request to Pinellas…
Growth affects roads, drinking water, drainage, housing, public services, and the places residents use every day. The Comprehensive Plan is one place to check what local government has said it intends to do. This index brings the ten official chapters together with short reading notes and OurSumter’s existing plain-language guides. These notes are an introduction,…
Wildwood approved a major development near CR 466 and CR 209. Traffic, water, and road costs are raising questions. Wildwood commissioners approved land-use and zoning changes for Canan Lakes, a 145-acre housing development near Oxford, on October 26. Recent reporting says the project could include up to 580 homes, although earlier city records listed 553.…