Tax, Tax, Tax

Subject: How many zeros in a billion?

This is too true to be funny.
The next time you hear a politician use the
word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
but one advertising agency did a good job of
putting that figure into some perspective in
one of its releases.

A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B.
A billion minutes ago jesus was alive.

C.
A billion hours ago our ancestors were
living in the Stone Age.

D.
A billion days ago no one walked on the earth on two feet.

E.
A billion dollars ago was only
8 hours and 20 minutes,
at the rate our government
is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain...
let's take a look at New Orleans .
It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator,
Mary Landrieu (D)
is presently asking Congress for
250 BILLION DOLLARS
to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number...
what does it mean?

A.
Well.... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans
(every man, woman, and child)
you each get $516,528.

B.
Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in
New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787..

C..
Or... if you are a family of four...
your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington , D. C

HELLO!
Are all your calculators broken??
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax (Fed)
Federal Unemployment Tax (FU TA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel P ermit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration T ax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well P ermit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
(And to think, we left British Rule to avoid so many taxes)

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Baytree Golf Club

Published on: 9/9/2004

WINTER HAVEN - Larry Maxwell, a former majority owner of Cypress Gardens, plans to purchase Baytree Golf Club in Winter Haven and replace it with residential homes.

Deer Creek

NO END TO HORROR STORIES IN TAMPA -- BUT A LOT OF GOOD... - [Cached Version]
Published on: 3/2/2008 Last Visited: 6/5/2008

An owner of the Deer Creek Golf & Tennis Resort Phase Three-A Homeowners Association, Inc. in Davenport alleged that developer Larry Maxwell still collects HOA dues under the threat of liens and foreclosure from owners, despite the fact that turnover took place many years ago.It seems the developer filed the original deed restrictions naming his for profit company the manager of the HOA "FOREVER" and included the ability to collect fees from all owners "FOREVER."

Cypress Gardens

In October 2001, Polk County developer Larry Maxwell purchased a significant equity position in Cypress Gardens and plans to develop 100 acres for residential or commercial use.

Published on: 12/23/2001

Jeb Bush and his six-member Cabinet, the trust would pay Cypress Gardens owners Larry Maxwell and William Reynolds $22 million, or $154,930 per acre, by Feb. 24.

Cypress Gardens owner Larry Maxwell is asking the county for access to seven acres of land illegally cleared a month before the park closed so he can build houses on it.

Larry Maxwell is the majority owner of Cypress Gardens.

Owners Larry Maxwell and Bill Reynolds closed the park because of low attendance,

Cypress Gardens supporters successfully pleaded with state officials last week to try to buy the park to keep Maxwell from bulldozing the property to make room for the condos.

Published on: 2/1/2004
Sold
Now that park owners Larry Maxwell and Bill Reynolds have a little money - combined payments for the park equal $20.5 million - they can pay off their debts.

Chelius declined to identify the state-appointed property appraiser hired to verify the purchase price sought by Cypress Gardens majority owners Larry Maxwell and Bill Reynolds, doing business as First Gardens L.C.

Century Realty Funds Inc

Own by Lawrence Maxwell
Century Realty Funds Inc
500 S Florida Ave Ste 700
Lakeland, Florida 33801
United States
Website: centuryrealtyfunds.com
Phone: (863) 682-3151
Fax: (863) 647-3992
Revenues: $1.1 Million
Employees: 150

Old Harbor Bank

Polk County real estate developer Lawrence W. Maxwell and his family are poised to acquire a controlling interest in Old Harbor Bank.
...
Maxwell, chairman of Century Realty Funds Inc., a residential and commercial real estate company in Lakeland, also is a major shareholder at CenterState Banks of Florida Inc. in Winter Haven, where he serves on the board of directors.He could not be reached for comment.

Center State Bank

To our knowledge, the only shareholders who owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of CenterState Bank common stock on February 27, 2009 were Director Lawrence W. Maxwell (12.0%), P.O. Box 5252, Lakeland, FL 33807 and Wellington Management Co., LLP (7.4%), 75 State Street, Boston, MA 02109.
Lawrence W. Maxwell. The nature of his beneficial ownership is as follows: 13,408 shares are owned individually, 1,486,375 shares are owned jointly with spouse and presently exercisable options for 1,200 shares. (290,878 shares are pledged as security.)

HOA Rules for the Homeowner

According to Cyber Citizens For Justice, homeowners should do the following to "fight for their rights:"

Learn the rules and laws.
*
Don’t ignore letters received from the association. Respond immediately by certified letter.
*
Do not send emotional e-mails and/or telephone calls.

Don’t rely on verbal agreements or promises, and always create a paper trail.
*
Most letters received from board, management and/or attorney are aimed at intimidating the homeowner. Respond accordingly and do research before falling into traps. The Internet provides many sources.
*
Respond immediately to the so-called 45-day lien/foreclosure notice letter (FS 720.3085).
*
When receiving letters, don’t think, “It’s just the HOA.” The HOA can take your home but only if the debt is for unpaid dues and assessments -- not for fines.
*
Don’t ignore so-called presuit mediation offers (FS 720.311). You lose your right to recover legal fees even if you win the lawsuit.
*
If your association takes you to court without offering presuit mediation, ask the judge to dismiss the case. The association ignored the statutes requiring mandatory presuit mediation.

For more information, visit FLLegalServices.com

Can't pay their HOA dues

Report By Mike Holfeld
Published November 10, 2009

A citizens advocacy group is urging residents involved in a flap with their homeowners association to learn their rights.

Local 6 is spending the entire day focusing on HOAs, and Jan Bergemann, of Cyber Citizens For Justice, said homeowners need to first learn the rules and laws in dealing with HOAs.

Numerous homeowners have contacted Local 6 recently, seeking help after receiving intimidating letters from their HOA.

Phylis Bisking and Susan Dearolf, who live in the Canoe Creek Woods subdivision in St. Cloud, said they can't pay their HOA dues right now.

"We have reasons, just like everyone in this world today is having a hard time," said Bisking, who started receiving notices from her HOA months ago.

"I probably looked at it and said, 'Here's another bill I can't pay and just tossed it aside," said Dearolf, who has also received notices from her HOA.

Both women have been sent lawsuits to foreclose if they do not pay back dues.
"I mean, come on, they're robbing us," Bisking said.
Dearolf said she feels like she signed a pact with the devil.
"What am I supposed to say? 'I give up, just take the house?' " Dearolf said.

Bisking was already struggling with her mortgage when her son was hit by a car while riding his bike, causing more medical bills she could not afford.

And then I got this stupid homeowners association that I have to deal with, which they don't offer anything to us," Bisking said.

Their subdivision is caught up in a so-called "turf war." Only half the residents at Canoe Creek Woods pay HOA dues, and there is nothing the HOA can do about it.

All the residents in the 500-home community use the same entrance, which the HOA pays to maintain, along with the land around seven retention ponds in the subdivision.

Only 258 homes on the north side of Creek Wood Drive are responsible for the annual dues in the neighborhood.

Canoe Creek Woods HOA president Anthony Davola said in the early '90s the homes to the south argued they had no common ground to maintain and won. The HOA was dissolved, but the bills did not stop.

"Right now, we're sitting on a high rate of foreclosure on our side, and there's a high rate of foreclosure on that side," Davola said.

Devola said he was reluctant to send out the lawsuits to Bisking and Dearolf, but if the HOA does not take action, it could collapse.

"Over the years we've had meetings where homeowners that felt that they didn't want to pay because that side didn't pay, but they can't break away from it. It's like a tombstone. Once it's there, it won't go away, and you have to pay," Devola said.

Homeowners can technically dissolve their HOA with a unanimous vote. The neighborhood would go into receivership, but an attorney said the fees could jump to as much as three times the current fees, so it is a risky move.

Fisherman's Meeting at HFC at 7:00-8:00 PM