1/24/1979 - Laserfiche WebLink

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IN THE TEMPORARY ABSENCE OF CHAIRMAN WODTKE, COMMISSIONER Loy OPENED THE DISCUSSION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY ONE THAT WISHED TO BE HEARD. CARROLL PALMER, PRESIDENT OF THE.TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, APPROACHED THE BOARD AND STATED THAT HIS ASSOCIATION. HAS TAKEN A POSITION ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. THEY FELT THE COUNTY SHOULD CONTINUE WITH ITS ACTIVITIES WITH A PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY, BUT IT SHOULD NOT ACTIVATE A PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY. HE FELT,I N THE EVENT THE BOARD DECIDES TO HAVE A HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY SHOULD FIRST OBTAIN LEGISLATIVE LIMITATIONS, AS IN PINELLAS, ORANGE AND SEMINOLE COUNTIES HE THEN READ FROM SECTION 421.53 AND 421.54 FLORIDA STATUTES IN REGARD TO THESE LIMITATIONS. MR. PALMER NOTED THAT AFTER THE TAXPAYERS ASSO- CIATION_TOOK THIS POSITION, SOME OF THEIR CRITICS ALLEGED THAT THE ASSOCIATION D•ID NOT HAVE COMPASSION FOR THE POOR AND NEEDY. HE REBUTTED THIS BY QUOTING PRESIDENT CARTER'S STATEMENT THAT "COMPASSION MUST BE TEMPERED WITH REALITY." MR. PALMER STATED THAT HE DOUBTED THE BOARD WOULD ESTABLISH A HOUSING AUTHORITY IF IT WERE TO BE FUNDED SOLELY BY AD VALOREM TAXES AND NOTED THAT THE ATTRACTION OF•A HOUSING AUTHORITY IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL BE FOOTING THE BILL AND SUPPOSEDLY THE COUNTY WILL BE RELATIVELY FREE OF THE COST OF THIS WELFARE PROPOSAL. HE STATED THAT THIS, HOWEVER, IS NOT SO, AND IF A HOUSING AUTHORITY IS ACTIVATED, IT WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT THE TAXPAYERS OF THE COUNTY. CHAIRMAN WODTKE RETURNED TO THE MEETING AT 2;50 O'CLOCK P.M. MR. PALMER COMMENTED THAT IT APPEARS FRANK ZORC HAS A PROPOSAL TO OBTAIN PUBLIC HOUSING BY A PRIVATELY FINANCED ARRANGEMENT, AND HE STATED THAT THIS GIVES THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME KIND OF AN OVERWHELMING COMPASSION THE CHANCE TO "PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS." HE CONTINUED THAT WE ARE IN A VERY CRITICAL FISCAL PERIOD IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT IS THE INCREASE IN FEDERAL SPENDING WHICH IS CREATING INFLATION. i .'� WE ARE SPENDING MORE THAN WE GENERATE, AND EACH ONE OF THESE SOCIAL j WELFARE PROGRAMS ADD TO THIS SPIRAL. MR. PALMER THEN DISCUSSED "FEDERAL DUMPING," AND NOTED THAT WHEN HONEY GETS TIGHT, THE GOVERNMENT PULLS UP THE PURSE STRINGS ON ON-GOING PROGRAMS, AND THEN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS i M MUST PICK UP THE TAB IF THESE PROGRAMS ARE TO CONTINUE. HE ALSO POINTED 38 JAN 241979