TROPICAL ACRE ESTATES
“Water, Water Everywhere”
Total Lots in Park 367 sites per our prospectus
90% occupied = 330 homes (This is an estimate)
Corporation service charge for water:3/1/14$1.15/ month
4/1/14$4.93/ month
330 homes at $1.15 per month $379.00
330 homes at $4.93 per month$1,626.90
Difference per month$1,247.90
Background: The $1.15 per month per household was the amount needed to reimburse the Corporation for the service fee that Pasco County was charging the corporation. This is known as a “Pass through Charge” that the corporation is allowed to collect from the homeowners per Florida Statute 723.
With some investigation, we found out that, in fact, Pasco County Water Authority DID NOT raise the Corporations fees in April 2014 or any other time in 2014.
Bottom Line:Fact: The $1.15 collected prior to April 2014 was enough to cover the Pasco County Water Authority’s charge to the Corporation.
Dollars and Sense:
The Corporation went from collecting a “Pass Through Charge” to making a profit of $1,247.90 per month or $14,974.80 extra per year.
The real funny part (or maybe not so funny). The water bill used to show the service charge for both water and sewer on separate lines. Now they hide it in one figure for water and one for sewer. (Out of sight, Out of Mind)
While we are joking around, let’s look at the $4.00 billing charge.
Here is an estimate of the actual cost: Best Guess
Bill form: $.03$4.00 times 330 households = $1,320/ per month
Envelope: $.01 $0.53 times 330 households = $ 174.90 per month
Stamp: $.49 Corporate profit per month = $1,145.10 per month
$.53 or $13,741.20 per year
That is a total of: $14,974.80 extra for Water Service Charge
$13,741.20 extra for Billing Charge
$28,716.00 extra per year
Not bad for doing nothing,
Oh Well “That’s the American Way”
There have also been some months where the water bill has been COMPLETELY incorrect. October 2016 is a prime example. My bill was off by a ton. The reading was correct as far as the amount of water used, but the figures were way off. I took it to the office and it was corrected. It seems that management was on vacation and they had someone else do the billing that month. I sure hope everyone checked their bill, because management wasn’t going to bother to recheck all the bills.
I have a formula to figure your water and sewer bill and I am happy to supply anyone interested in a copy. I have posted some copies on the bulletin board, but someone (I can guess who) has always removed them and thrown them in the trash.
The above is based on information gathered in April 2014 from the Pasco County Water Authority under the freedom of information act. At that time, Pasco County had no plans on increasing the service charge for the commercial rate currently charged to Wilder Corporation.