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_I <br />OCT 21980 <br />BOOK 44 PAGE 71-$ <br />THAT PART OF THIS WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE CITY FOR THE FIRE DISTRICT. <br />IF THE CITY WENT THEIR OWN WAY AND HAD NOT JOINED IN THE SOUTH COUNTY <br />FIRE DISTRICT, THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO ASSESS 4 MILLS, OR ALMOST <br />$2,000,000. <br />CHAIRMAN SIEBERT AGREED THAT ABOUT $1,800,000 WAS TAKEN <br />OUT OF THE CITY OF VERO BEACH AND GIVEN TO THE COUNTY. HE NOTED THAT <br />OUR BUDGET IS MADE UP OF AD VALOREM TAXES PLUS OTHER SOURCES OF <br />REVENUE,- AND WHEN OTHER REVENUE GOES DOWN, AD VALOREM GOES UP. THE <br />CHAIRMAN COMMENTED THAT THE SHERIFFS BUDGET WAS THE MOST INCREASED <br />OF ANY; IT WAS HEADLINED IN THE NEWSPAPERS; AND WHEN WE HEARD THAT <br />BUDGET, NOT ONE PERSON SPOKE AGAINST IT, AND THE ROOM WAS LOADED. <br />COMMISSIONER WODTKE COMMENTED THAT THE 87-1/2 MILLION FOR <br />NEW CONSTRUCTION IS INCLUDED IN THE MAIL -OUTS, AND THE ONLY WAY THIS <br />WILL CHANGE IS WHEN THE ASSESSMENTS GO TO 100%. HE ALSO DISCUSSED <br />ROADS AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE GETTING LESS REVENUE FROM THE GAS <br />TAX BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE USING LESS GAS, AND IT IS BASED ON GALLONS <br />NOT DOLLARS. HE EMPHASIZED THAT WE ARE GETTING LESS OTHER INCOME <br />AND OUR COST OF LIVING IS GOING UP. THE STATE HAS PUT NEW PROGRAMS <br />ON US WHICH WE HAVE TO FUND, AND IT MAKES IT HARD ON THE AD VALOREM <br />TAXPAYER. <br />BOB LINDSAY, OF 6585 12TH STREET, WISHED TO POINT OUT THE <br />INEQUITY OF THE FIRE TAXING DISTRICT. HE NOTED THAT HE IS IN THE <br />CITRUS BUSINESS AND NOTED THAT WHEN YOU LEVY TAXES FOR A PARTICULAR <br />AREA WITHIN THE GUIDELINES THE STATE SETS FORTH, THOSE DOLLARS ARE <br />TO BE SPENT BACK IN THE AREA THEY ARE LEVIED FROM. HE STATED THERE <br />IS NO WAY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WILL BE PAID BY THE CITRUS GROWERS <br />CAN BE PROVIDED BACK IN SERVICES, HE NOTED THAT THEY CALL THE <br />FORESTRY SERVICE IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, AND THEY ARE ALSO TAXED FOR <br />THAT. MR. LINDSAY HAD NO COMPLAINT ABOUT ASSESSMENT BY THE DISTRICT <br />ON THE RESIDENTIAL AREA WHERE HE LIVES BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THE <br />PROTECTION IS NEEDED THERE, BUT FELT IT IS A GROSS INEQUITY ON THE <br />CITRUS GROWERS WHO CAN T RECEIVE THE VALUE BACK IN SERVICES. <br />