Letter to the Editor

+ Ranch growth shows no need to incorporate
Dear Editor:
A recent headline proclaimed that the great recession is over in Lakewood Ranch. This news is a testimonial to the excellent job of planning by Schroeder-Manatee Ranch and the cooperation between SMR and Manatee County providing excellent service at a low tax rate. Our CDD supervisors should also be congratulated for their governance which makes our Ranch such a desirable place to live and proving the CDD form is a viable and efficient form of government.

These factors belie the Incorporation Study Group’s claims that we are a community without a plan and need to control our own destiny. Just visit any of SMR’s community information offices to see SMR’s vision of the future. There is no evidence Manatee County may wish to interfere with SMR’s vision and spoil our Ranch.

The incorporators also claim CDD governance is inefficient, does not provide good services and is not appropriate for a community as large as Lakewood Ranch. This last point is disproved by The Villages, a retirement community in central Florida with a population of more than 80,000 people, which is governed by CDDs. The residents had voted not to incorporate.

It is the height of arrogance to assert that five part-time councilors would do a better job of planning than SMR and would be better stewards of our money than Manatee County, which has received an AA bond rating.

Save our Ranch! Vote no to incorporation!
Fred R. Braun
Lakewood Ranch