How Smart is their Growth?

Smart Growth. It's a problem being repeated all across America but especially in the grow, grow, grow at any cost Counties and Cities. We are experiencing it right here in Volusia County but told not to worry because our constant tax increases are not nearly as bad as over there.

Large developments built out all at once to beautiful completion, or even in big chunks, are doomed to fiscal and environmental failure for the rest of the county. The cost of infrastructure maintenance alone is never correctly considered. The need for services are glossed over with comments like "houses don't burn down anymore."

Cities and counties are already in fiscal trouble. The politicians' only answer is to press the growth pedal to the metal in hopes they will collect enough taxes to pay the bills until the next generation can sort it all out. It is giant pyramid scheme.

The problem, as we are seeing repeated across America, is that it does not take that long before it all comes crashing down.

No one wants to say they are against growth because they will be accused of being a unicorn, CAVE person, or a backwards country bumpkin. But if this is what Volusia County calls Smart Growth, I am against it. Voters, we have a choice to make. Do we bury our heads in the construction site landfill and keep plodding ahead expecting we will be the smart ones to avoid disaster? After all we have followed 60 years of smart growth. Or will Volusia County voters choose organic, incremental responsible growth that recognizes water as a limiting factor that can no longer be ignored?

That means no more development in our wetlands, the cost is to high for the entire state. It means no more streets to nowhere, no more miles of pipes, meters, valves, and drainage systems so a developer can build a another shiny new object sometime in the future.

I have faith in the people of Volusia County who love our community for the beauty and character it once had. Let's restore our quality of life and clean up the water we drink and bath in.

Read the sad truth below. I will post many of them in the next year as it is a problem that has now reached the breaking point.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/…/os-op-the-villages-growth…