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TQ THE RISING COSTS FELT BY EVERYONE, AND THESE RISING COSTS OF OPERA- <br />TION ARE ERODING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE POINT OF THREATENING THE <br />EXISTENCE OF THESE BUSINESSES. HE FELT IT IS NOT RIGHT IF A PERSON <br />IS PUT*OUT OF BUSINESS BY A LAW LIMITING HIS BUSINESS AND STATED THAT <br />IS WHY THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE TODAY ASKING FOR A REMEDY. THEY ARE NOT <br />REQUESTING TO STAY OPEN ALL NIGHT, BUT ARE ASKING FOR JUST ONE MORE <br />HOUR TO HELP SOLVE SOME OF THEIR COST PROBLEM. <br />ATTORNEY BLOCK POINTED OUT THAT THE STATE DECIDED TO TAX THE <br />CIGARETTE AND LIQUOR INDUSTRY IN ORDER TO OBTAIN 89.6 MILLION DOLLARS <br />TO DEFRAY THEIR BUDGET DEFICIT, AND THIS MEANS A 25� A QUART�INCREASE <br />TO A RETAILER. HE NOTED THAT OF THIS TAX 20 MILLION GOES TO SUPPORT <br />THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT THE SALES TAX, STAMP <br />TAX AND YEARLY LICENSE TAX ALL GO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FOR THE BENE- <br />FIT OF THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE. <br />ATTORNEY BLOCK THEN DISCUSSED THE ECONOMIC AFFECT OF THIS <br />INDUSTRY WITHIN -THE COMMUNITY, NOTING THAT THERE ARE 800 PEOPLE IN <br />THIS INDUSTRY WORKING AND LIVING HERE, WHO ARE A POTENTIAL PURCHASING <br />POWER. HE NEXT DISCUSSED THE ADVANTAGE OF KEEPING REVENUE WITHIN THE <br />COUNTY, NOTING THAT BREVARD, ST. LUCIE AND OSCELOA COUNTIES ALL HAVE <br />LATER CLOSING HOURS, WHICH HAS THE AFFECT OF DRAWING PEOPLE OUT OF <br />THIS COUNTY TO SPEND THEIR MONEY. HE POINTED OUT THAT THE RETAIL LIQUOR <br />INDUSTRY IS VERY CLOSELY RELATED TO TOURISM, AND YOU HAVE TO BE VERY <br />COMPETITIVE TO ATTRACT TOURISTS TO THE AREA. THIS IS ALSO TRUE OF <br />CONVENTIONS, MOST OF WHICH CANNOT BE ENTICED HERE BECAUSE OF THE EARLY <br />CLOSING HOURS AND LACK OF ENTERTAINMENT. <br />ATTORNEY BLOCK DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM OF SAFETY, NOTING THAT <br />THERE ARE MANY ACCIDENTS BETWEEN VERO BEACH AND FORT PIERCE AROUND <br />THE MIDNIGHT HOURS, WHICH MAY VERY WELL BE DUE TO PEOPLE TRAVELING <br />TO ST. LUCIE COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE LATER BAR HOURS. HE FELT THE LESS <br />DISTANCE PEOPLE HAVE TO TRAVEL, THE LESS -CHANCE THERE IS OF AN ACCI- <br />DENT OCCURRING. <br />ATTORNEY BLOCK CONTINUED THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH A SITUATION <br />CONCERNING ADULTS AND INVOLVING FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND NOTED THAT A <br />GOVERNMENT CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY LEGISLATE MORALITY. HE STATED THAT HE <br />FEELS THE LAWS SHOULD BE CHANGED TO FIT THE TREND AND THINKING OF TODAY <br />AS LONG AS IT IS NOT INFRINGING ON THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS. <br />3 <br />®V j71977- . <br />Boas F ➢� <br />Ew <br />A <br />