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I <br />WARREN ZEUCH, .JR., APPEARED AND INFORMED THE BOARD THAT HE IS <br />CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO PRO- <br />MOTE A TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX AS APPROVED BY HOUSE BILL No. 2064. <br />THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS REQUESTING THE BOARD TO SET UP A TOURIST <br />DEVELOPMENT TAX BOARD AND LEVY THIS TAX. MR. ZEUCH NOTED THAT OTHER <br />COUNTIES IN THE STATE, INCLUDING BREVARD, HAVE ALREADY ACTED ON THIS. <br />J. B. NORTON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, <br />OUTLINED BRIEFLY PORTIONS OF THE HOUSE BILL. HE NOTED THAT IT PROVIDES <br />FOR 1% OR 21 TAX, AND THEY WOULD OPT FOR 2% AS THE MAJORITY OF COUNTIES <br />HAVE. HE INFORMED THE BOARD THAT THIS WOULD PRODUCE AT THE MOST <br />$245,000 PER YEAR BASED ON LAST YEAR S OCCUPANCY AND ACCOMMODATIONS <br />IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY. MR. MORTON NOTED THAT HE PERSONALLY DOES NOT <br />LIKE THE SECTION OF THE BILL THAT DEALS WITH THE SIX MONTH LIMITATION <br />ON RENTALS BECAUSE HE FEELS THIS WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO SOMEONE INTENDING <br />TO MAKE THIS THEIR PERMANENT RESIDENCE. ALSO, THE BILL NOW IS VERY <br />SPECIFIC AS TO WHAT THE MONEY MUST BE USED FOR, BUT HE FELT THAT BOTH <br />THESE FACTORS WILL BE LOOKED INTO AND POSSIBLY CHANGED, AND IT MAY BE <br />THAT IT WILL BE PERMITTED TO USE A PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY FOR BEACH <br />RESTORATION PROJECTS. MR. NORTON POINTED OUT THAT ONE OF THE INTENDED <br />PURPOSES OF RIVERSIDE THEATRE WAS TO RENT IT FOR LARGE CONVENTION MEET- <br />INGS, AND UNDER THIS BILL, THE FUNDS COULD BE USED TO HELP SUPPORT <br />THAT FACILITY, IPJ ADDITION TO PROVIDING JOBS AND OTHER ECONOMIC BENEFITS <br />TO THE COUNTY. MR. NORTON REQUESTED THAT IF THE BOARD INTENDS TO START <br />THIS OPERATION, THAT THEY ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO LEVY SUCH A <br />TAX AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT WILL BE REQUIRED <br />BEFORE THIS GOES TO THE VOTERS. <br />CHAIRMAN WODTKE FELT WE NEED TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF AREAS AND <br />THAT WE SHOULD SET UP A WORKSHOP MEETING AND INVITE THE CHAMBER OF <br />COMMERCE , THE BOARD OF REALTORS, THE HOTEL -MOTEL ASSOCIATION, ETC. <br />HE NOTED THAT THE CITRUS INDUSTRY MIGHT HAVE WORKERS COME THROUGH AND <br />RENT, AND THIS WOULD AFFECT THEM ALSO. <br />MR. NORTON STATED THAT THE BOARD OF REALTORS AND THE HOTEL - <br />MOTEL ASSOCIATION DID ENDORSE THIS TAX SOME TIME AGO. <br />36 <br />FEB 2 1978. <br />BOOK . 34 PAGF 45 <br />