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ROBERT MCFARLAND, REPRESENTING THE TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION, <br />SPOKE AGAINST A HOUSING AUTHORITY. HE FIRST DISCUSSED COSTS AND <br />POINTED OUT THAT ALL PROPERTIES COMING UNDER THE HOUSING AUTHORITY MUST <br />BE REMOVED FROM THE AD VALOREM TAX ROLLS, WHICH LOSS IN LOCAL REVENUES <br />WILL HAVE TO BE PAID BY THE OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS AND WOULD, HE ESTI- <br />MATED, COST THE LOCAL PEOPLE 1/4 MILL IN LOCAL TAXES. HE MENTIONED THE <br />PROBLEM OF OUT -OF -COUNTY INDIGENTS AND NOTED THAT INDIAN RIVER COUNTY <br />IS A TARGET FOR THE INDIGENTS FROM OTHER COUNTIES AS EVIDENCED BY THE <br />PROBLEMS THE HOSPITAL IS HAVING WITH THIS SITUATION. MR. MCFARLAND <br />CONTINUED THAT THE PERMANENCE OF A HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS BEEN COVERED <br />QUITE DRAMATICALLY BY MR. PALMER, AND COMMENTED THAT 10% OF FORT PIERCE <br />IS IN A HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND THEY ARE EXPANDING. MR. MCFARLAND NOTED <br />THAT IT SEEMS TO BE A NATIONAL OBSESSION TO CONSIDER FEDERAL MONEY FREE, <br />BUT IN THE LONG RUN IT COSTS US MORE TAXES. HE INFORMED THE BOARD THAT <br />55% OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET IS IN THE FORM OF HANDOUTS, INCLUDING WELFARE <br />AND UNEMPLOYMENT PAYMENTS, FOOD STAMPS, AID TO INDIGENT CHILDREN, <br />HOUSING SUBSIDIES, FREE SCHOOL FOOD, ETC., ALL OF WHICH STARTED AS <br />TEMPORARY MEASURES TO GET PEOPLE ON THEIR FEET, BUT BECAME PERMANENT <br />AND GREW LARGER EVERY YEAR. MR. MCFARLAND STATED THAT IF THE BOARD <br />REALLY WISHES TO -FIND OUT WHAT THE MAJORITY WANTS, THEY SHOULD GO TO <br />A REFERENDUM AND GET THE ADVICE OF ALL THE VOTERS, NOT JUST SMALL <br />PRESSURE GROUPS. <br />VICTOR HART NOTED THAT THE TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION HAVE MADE <br />A POINT OF ST. LUCIE COUNTY NOT HAVING A HOUSING AUTHORITY, BUT HE <br />POINTED OUT THAT THE BULK OF THE PEOPLE OF NEED IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY ARE <br />IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, WHICH DOES HAVE A HOUSING AUTHORITY,AND IT <br />WOULD BE FOOLISH FOR THE COUNTY TO HAVE ONE. HE CONTINUED THAT MR. <br />PALMER TALKED ABOUT IMMIGRANTS AND SOCIAL GIVE-AWAYS, AND POINTED OUT <br />THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO AID THE INDONESIANS BY ALLOWING <br />MANY ADDITIONAL THOUSANDS OF THEM TO ENTER THE COUNTRY, AND IN ADDITION, <br />THEY HAVE SET UP SUBSIDIES FOR THE CUBANS; SO WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO BEG <br />FOR BETTER HOUSING FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS? HE NOTED THAT WHEN THE POOR <br />HAITIANS DRIFT OVER, THEY ARE PUT IN JAIL, BUT THE CUBANS COME BY <br />17 <br />BOOK 41 fiA.GE 158 <br />