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NAPLES, Fla. -- May 24, 2004 -- Homeowners in some counties in Florida pay higher impact fees but lower property taxes, while in other counties, homeowners may pay lower impact fees but higher property taxes. Which homeowner has the better deal Well, that depends on how you look at it, according to a study conducted by Janet Vasey, a community advocate in North Naples. Vasey, with the help of the Collier County impact fee department, recently researched property taxes and impact fees in both Collier and Lee counties. She decided to see how much the owner of a $200,000 home would pay in property taxes and impact fees in both counties. The millage rate in Collier is 0.015; in Lee, the millage rate is 0.0214. In Vasey's study, the hypothetical homeowner has a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage of 5.5 percent. The research found that a person buying a $200,000 house in Collier County pays a little over $15,500 in impact fees (including sewer and water fees) and $3,000 in property taxes. In Lee County, someone buying a $200,000 home would pay $9,300 in impact fees (including sewer and water fees) and $4,000 in property taxes, according to the study. Vasey's research found that the Collier County homeowner pays $6,200 more in total impact fees than the Lee County homeowner, while the Lee County owner pays about $1,000 more in property taxes per year than the Collier County owner. The numbers indicate that homeowners in Lee are getting the better deal; however, Vasey noted that impact fees are only paid once as a tax on new development. Property taxes, on the other hand, are paid annually. Therefore, she said the research suggests that the Lee County owner would actually pay more than his Collier County counterpart over the 30-year lifespan of the mortgage. Vasey says her data shows that the yearly total paid by a Lee County homeowner is $4,000, while the Collier County homeowner pays $3,000. Vasey said she thinks her study shows that developers who protest impact fees, saying that are an unfair burden on new homeowners and discourage growth, are misguided. But Collier Building Industry Association Executive Director David Ellis disagrees, saying Vasey's study is flawed. You're not going to find many homes that cost $200,000 or below in Collier, Ellis said. That's why people can't afford to live (in Collier). Ellis also believes the 5.5 percent interest rate is low. He said most people with mortgages pay a much higher rate. Source Naples Daily News, Larry Hannan, May 24, 2004 2004 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
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