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OCT 21900 Boox 44 PAGE720 SO, IF YOU ADD 4.41 MILLION AND 1.446 MILLION, YOU COME UP WITH A COMPARABLE TOTAL OF AN INCREASE OF SOMEWHERE AROUND 27% WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ANY ADDITIONAL TAX BASE FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION. IF YOU TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT, YOU GET OVER 30%. IT, THEREFORE, STRUCK HIM THAT WE ARE TALKING AN INCREASE.IN THE GENERAL FUND OF 30%, OR ABOUT TWICE THE RATE OF INFLATION. MR. BACH STATED THAT KIND OF AN INCREASE RAISES A RED FLAG TO HIM AND HE CANNOT BE SURE THAT IT IS JUSTIFIED. ATTORNEY COLLINS ASKED THAT HE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT IN THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT THE MONEY FOR THAT LAST YEAR WAS SPREAD OUT THROUGH THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND INCLUDED IN THE TAX BASE OF VERO BEACH, INDIAN RIVER SHORES, SEBASTIAN, FELLSMERE AND SEBASTIAN. THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE ARE MANDATED, THOSE ITEMS HAD TO BE PULLED OUT. WE ARE NOT REALLY TALKING ABOUT INCREASES, BUT SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO BE PLACED ON US. MR. BACH CONTINUED THAT HIS FIGURES, AND HE BELIEVED THEY ARE CORRECT, SHOW THAT LAST YEAR THOSE SERVICES COST 4.57 MILLION AND THIS YEAR THEY ARE GOING TO COST 5.86 MILLION, AND THAT'S WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ANY ADDITIONAL TAX BASE, WITHOUT THAT INCREASE, IT COMES TO ABOUT 26%, AND THIS IS WHAT RAISES THE RED FLAG AND CONCERNS HIM AS A CITIZEN. CHAIRMAN SIEBERT STATED THAT HE HAD TO AGREE WITH MR. BACH'S COMPARISON, BUT NOTED THAT MR. BACH ACTUALLY IS COMPARING DOLLARS AND NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHERE THEY ARE COLLECTED. THE CHAIRMAN AGREED THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE, BUT STATED THAT HE HAD TO SUPPORT THIS BUDGET BECAUSE IT IS NECESSARY JUST TO SUPPORT THE SERVICES. HE ASKED THAT MR. BACH NOT TO FORGET THE ROADS, THE INCREASE IN THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET, AND IN ADDITION THE FACT THAT WE NOW ARE REQUIRED TO PERFORM AN AUDIT ON EVERY DEPARTMENT EVERY YEAR. THE STATE USED TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, BUT NOW WE HAVE TO PROVIDE IT, AND IT IS GOING TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE.