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<br /> <br />Administrator Baird responded that the General Fund was the whole taxable value of the <br />County. He explained how the budget percentages were divided with regard to parks and <br />recreation. He noted that the County also did a survey that asked more detailed questions. A total <br />of 4,151 beach participants were surveyed in all five (5) beaches and the figures were very close to <br />that of the City’s. He disagreed that the City does not get any tax money from the County. There <br />is a utility tax that is charged by the City to County residents on the City’s electric utility and that <br />goes to their General Fund. <br /> <br />Discussion ensued regarding a 6% utility tax, which benefits unincorporated areas; the <br />County’s utility tax that goes back into the MSTU; and, a 10% utility tax that the City also charges. <br /> <br />Steve Maillet <br />, Finance Director for City of Vero Beach, provided more insight. The 10% <br />utility tax, he said, is not really a utility tax. State law allows governmental utilities to charge their <br />customers who are inside the political subdivision that owns the utility and outside the political <br />subdivision that are part of the utility, an amount which rates are equal. City of Vero Beach <br />(COVB) does have, for the County residents, a 10% surcharge, and that way the bills that the <br />customers receive are equal. An over simplified example would be if the City resident is paying <br />$90 in electric fee and a $10 City of Vero Beach utility tax that resident would pay $100. On the <br />County side, the resident would pay $100 in electric and $0 taxes to the City and come down to the <br />same $100. <br /> <br />Administrator Baird asked how much COVB collected from the unincorporated areas. <br /> <br />Mr. Maillet <br /> thinks their account is about 40% of the revenue. The electric company gets <br />$4.5M to $5M, which goes into the electric system. That money goes in at the top under revenue, <br />and then they have a transfer at the bottom. <br /> <br />Administrator Baird commented on whether it goes into the General Fund. He said, <br />assuming that the County was 60% of COVB electric customer base, and out of $5.9M, you take a <br />May 31, 2006 <br />4 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />