[xlib]

"Before the cloud of grief had even lifted, they learned that Uncle Sam would be expecting a check for estate taxes by January, a check so large that the only way to pay it was to sell the estate their father had spent a lifetime building."

But--but-- I thought the estate tax only affected the rich!

[pabianice]

Way to go, Ted Kennedy and John Kerry. Hey; you avoided taxes by inheriting/marrying great wealth. The "little people" can just go screw themselves. Besides, small business owners vote Republican anyway...

[xlib]

I'm sure this story is repeated every day across the country. Good, valued, community-strengthening businesses destroyed by the greed of the government. Now this property will probably give way to a couple dozen half-million-dollar lake homes. Nothing wrong with that, but the average guy & gal will have one less place to take their family, and they'll have the democrats to thank for it.

[ExpatGator]

What a damn shame. I grew up on the Southside of Jax and made many a foray to "The Landing." My Gator cap is off to these fine folks and to their admirable father. May he rest in peace.

[Black Agnes]

Lakefront property? Mandatory selling? Wonder if the Nature Conservancy or some organization of similar ilk bought it...

[who_would_fardels_bear]

I don't agree with death taxes, but isn't there a really easy way around them?

If these folks had turned this into a corporation and all become officers in the company, then when one of the officers dies, there is no death tax to pay.

Am I right or am I wrong?

[jackbill]

Hey, according to little Dickie Gephardt, the guy won life's lottery. Why should we be concerned?

(/sarcasm)

Actually, there are a thousand stories like this across the nation. And the liberals - Gephardt, Daschle, Kennedy, et al would much rather trash this family's business to give the money to the layabouts, welfare moms and the everlastingly inefficient and bumbling government bureaucrats. Only in America.

[alliworldusa]

My name is Alison, I grew up spending lots of time at the lake. I got married and moved away and just moved back. I am so very sad to hear about the landing closing. I wanted to take my children there for a snow cone, cotton candy, and of course a game of air hockey in the game room. My heart goes out to the family, my thoughts are with you. Please know that your family has spent a lifetime of making thousands of family’s a lifetime of memories. I just want to cry! If any person out there is looking for a great investment this is the place. It’s a place where family, and spending time together was most important on their list.I just don’t get it why doesn’t the government help places like this to stay in business. Because family values are no longer an issue amongst our lovely top officials.

[South40]

I spent a good part of my youth at Strickland's. It was a sad thing when it closed.