August 28, 2025
I have created a Facebook GROUP Typepad Migration Group Sept25 for affected Typepad blog administrators to share info on the migration process. I plan to migrate all older posts and files to another platform like Wordpress and it has to be done by Sept. 30, 20205.
You can follow our FiscalRangers posts on:
Facebook GROUP (most used): https://www.facebook.com/groups/FiscalRangers
Facebook PAGE (not used much - only old info - go to group): https://www.facebook.com/FiscalRangers
Twitter: https://x.com/FiscalRangers
We plan to migrate our main blog existing posts from Typepad to another platform like WordPress, and will post that info here and the other sites above. We have to have it done by Sept. 30, 2025 when Typepad says they will shut down and all data will be lost.
Vance Jochim
FiscalRangers@gmail.com
4 minutes of mirth with out-takes of Biden blundering through his last year or so.
https://x.com/i/status/1899151213092118814
Vance
Update: The meeting was held and I will post an overview and a full meeting video soon. VJ
Far Reach Ranch was sold recently at the west end of Lake Dora, and is planned to become a 2500 home community plus commercial areas.
The attorney rep for the developer sent out an invitation to the initial meeting to be held tonight, June 5, 2025 at the Tavares Civic Center.
This is very early in the development process, and seems intended to give nearby "concerned" residents a chance to see potential plans, plus for the developers to learn about concerns such as:
Although the County Board has no jurisdiction over the development, they just launched a four meeting growth management series of meetings. You can find the video for the first meeting and schedules for the other ones at: https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/growth?
To follow this Far Reach Ranch development proposal, you need to get active, or traffic gridlock and school capacity will be unacceptable in the future. We will post updates here on FiscalRangers.com (also see the wordcloud index on the main page and find "Far Reach Ranch" to see all posts on this issue. This is the first post.
Also, follow Nicole Rushing-Boyd on Facebook and read her Facebook group North Lake County-Growth at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1326310411195707/
Vance
Join our mailing list by emailing FiscalRangers@gmail.com and ask to be on the FR email list.
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After a contentious Leesburg, FL City Commissioner meeting last night (Apr. 14, 2025), four of five commissioners voted against perhaps 300 citizens there to support a resolution to limit residential annexations for 1+ years. Commissioner Jay Connell added the resolution to the meeting agenda that would put a one-year+ moratorium on approving proposed residential annexations, or proposals to change other land uses to residential. The idea was to let the city catch up with fixing traffic jams, school capacity, and planning reforms.
A PowerPoint slide from Connell is here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1174720147480410
After a long line of 40+ citizens gave public input, the four other Commissioners barely asked questions and voted against the proposal.
Perhaps 10 people, mostly business advocates who, in my opinion, do NOT care about citizen complaints about traffic gridlock (Don Magruder, Mandy Wettstein (Committee of 100), Chamber of Commerce, etc.). provided input to recommend a NO vote, which was the result.
Here is the link to the LeesburgNews.com article on the 3+ hour event:
https://www.leesburg-news.com/2025/04/15/debate-over-rampant-growth-exposes-deep-divisions-in-leesburg/
It is clear to me that, like prior meetings I have attended, the majority of the Leesburg Commission is under the control of local businesses and not for citizens and has little concern over citizen concerns about traffic, school capacity, taxes on existing residents to subsidize new home infrastructure, etc. Instead, they are, in my opinion, in the pocket of local businesses and developers, and seek no solutions to traffic problems. They blame traffic on the state or county "because the main roads are their responsibility," and not the city. However, the city collects the property taxes from developments on BOTH sides of the roads, but does not contribute to traffic solutions, in my opinion.
In contrast, Lake County Board Chair Leslie Campione gave public input and said the city could legally turn down development in rural land areas and that the Commission needs to meet AGAIN with the County Board to work out solutions. The County has no power to order cities to use low-density planning, so cities always go for the traffic-generating HIGH-density housing developments.
You can watch the entire meeting on Lake Front TV's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99-fpfCZicM
At the end of the full meeting, after most citizens left, Commissioner Jay Connel made some comments about the City Manager and his posting in recommendation earlier to deny the proposal. It is worth watching at: https://www.youtube.com/live/99-fpfCZicM?si=A79M8q8HPqC_gsMY&t=12350
In my opinion, it is sad to see how four of the Leesburg Commissioners ( Alan Reisman, Allyson Berry, Mike Pederson, Jim Burry) ignored citizen comments about traffic gridlock, school capacity, and increased taxes to subsidize the new developments that most likely cost more for infrastructure than new revenues collected from the new properties. If you want to see national examples of how new residential communities cost more than the projected revenues, thus must be subsidized by existing residents, review this website: www.urbanthree.com
LEAVE your comments! Who do you think is right?
This blog post is my opinion based upon my observations explained above.
Vance Jochim
FiscalRangers.com
The Indiana Governor plus RFK and Dr. Oz announced a new Make Indiana Healthy Again initiative, including fixing Diabetes, food components, etc.
Is Indiana outdoing Florida in jumping on the MAHA movements.
Every Lake County politician and government administrator needs to watch this, then ask themselves what THEY can do to rollout similar programs in Lake County.
https://www.youtube.com/live/_n-zbzVNVUM?si=JzL9XOHT_4r5CWYd
Apr 15, 2025
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You have to wish Florida State and County governments implemented aggressive DOGE programs in Florida.
Gov. DeSantis has jumped on the bandwagon, but will his program actually work, or just be the basis for bragging about low hanging fruit. Remember, he jumped on the election integrity bandwagon, setup a department and the first appointee mysteriously died after Lake County election activists met with him and informed him of evidence they found in just Lake County. DeSantis brags about low hanging fruit like catching 15 felons who voted, and the current manager is not responsive in my opinion.
If you go to Doge.gov or the @DOGE X account, you will see a constant flow of new waste, fraud and abuse spending and almost immediate shut down of the questionable spending items, including contracts, use of Federal Credit Cards, etc. I suggest you send links from those DOGE almost daily posts to your favorite State legislators and local City Councils. Right now, Lake County has an Inspector General within the Clerk of Courts Dept. and they are not effective to this retired operational auditor based upon my opinion.
Here is a simple DOGE finding just reported by just one Agency's DOGE task force.
When I wasthe Chair of the internal audit committee of the Lake County School District, it was reported that the District was paying thousands for a software product for teachers, but then analysis found that hardly any of the teachers used it. It seems bureaucrat managers think of a "good" idea and spend money on services that is not used by many, similar to the above DOGE findings about Microsoft software licenses.
Below is DeSantis's press memo on his new DOGE like initiative, and below that is a link to his full executive order for it.
Vance
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Florida DOGE to Further Eliminate State Government Waste, Save Taxpayers Money, and Ensure Accountability in Florida
TAMPA, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the creation of the Florida State Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) task force, which will work to further eliminate waste within state government, save taxpayers money, and ensure accountability in Florida.
“Florida has set the standard for fiscally conservative governance, and our new Florida DOGE task force will do even more to serve the people of Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “It will eliminate redundant boards and commissions, review state university and college operations and spending, utilize artificial intelligence to further examine state agencies to uncover hidden waste, and even audit the spending habits of local entities to shine the light on waste and bloat.”
Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, Florida has the lowest number of government workers per capita in the country yet provides better services at a lower cost than any other state of comparable size. Since Governor DeSantis took office in 2019, Florida has continually cut government and trimmed waste:
The Florida State DOGE Task Force will implement a multi-pronged approach to eliminating bureaucratic bloat and modernizing our state government to best serve the people of Florida. It will also utilize AI and new technologies to identify waste and noncompliance. The task force will serve a one-year term which will sunset following the completion of the term. Florida’s DOGE will:
Eliminate Bureaucracy
Review Colleges and Universities
Further Examine State Agencies
Audit Local Governments
Return Unused & Surplus Federal Dollars
Read the enacting Executive Order here.
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Well known Republican, former Chair of the Lake County, FL Republican Party, and Real Estate Broker has started a new podcast on YouTube, with the first episode on Jan. 2, 2025. He was also a recent Candidate for Florida House Dist. 26 but lost to dark money spent on an opponent's campaign, who won.
As of today, Feb. 21, Levine has uploaded about 8 episodes.
If you want to keep up with Lake County and Florida politics, I suggest you subscribe to his channel and watch some of the existing podcasts at youtube.com/@MPL-FL or search YouTube on his name, Michael Levine.
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This YouTube video by Mario Nappa is very well done and illustrated showing how a City Council like Leesburg keeps approving expanded housing and commercial without fixing the traffic gridlock first.
Watch it to understand how stupid city councils keep approving developments without fixing traffic congestion first.
https://youtu.be/6--ZaYWm2JQ?si=wK64uSnEUr01Raor
Vance Jochim