7/14/1982 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

J U L 14 198Z 50 ?AcE 49i Sal., June 19, 1"2, Vero Beach, Fla., PRESS -JOURNAL 2A ucto im h Va t By DAVID BENFa4II funds," Nason said. "About $200,000 of Approximately M representatives of those funds will be roiled back off taxing agencies from Indian River and property taxes. We should be getting our St. Lucie counties were cautioned Friday first distribution of funds in November." about the spending of five cent sales tax The sales tax was increased from four funds later this fall. to five cents in May by a special bill Rod Nedeau, economist for the state passed by the state Legislature.' ' Department of Revenue, told the :"The state is keeping the additional workshop group they should be con- funds collected on the increase in the tax: servative with the spending of the sales, until , . Oct. .1," Nedeau said.' "In` tax, and contingency funds should be set November, half of. those funds will be UP for "a rainy day." deposited in a trust fund and returned to - "Taxing officials should be cautious, the local governments..The other half of because this Is a tax source they are not . the taxes will be kept at the state level to:' ; used to," Nedeau said. "In' good times replenish the working capital trust fund the tax fund will be fat and in bad times it and help fund the state budget.'' -; will be slim. If local officials are op- "The . funds 'coming back to the Urnisticly budgeting in bad times with counties will be divided between th the funds, they might get caught short." municipalities and the county govern Nedeau said the sales tax is unlike meats based. on population estimates,» not a revenuesharing,,, because the sales tax is the .economist said. "The municipality's "The sales tax funds will de share can be used to fund any municipal how much money the state ill depend service;. ' however, the county's share the county on a monthly basis." Nedeau must ni divided between incorporated the said. "So if the county's main�income is county This is the only limitatncorporated areas ion the based on tourism and is seasonal, the Legislate puts on the spending of the funding on a monthly basis will vary. ' tax money." . Nedeau fielded questions from the Nedeau said at no point can the audience = which included Vero Beach county's ad valorem millage rate add up' Finance Director Tom Nason about to more than 10. Only taring authorities the funding applications and when the that are.eligible for revenue sharing can local governments will be receiving their participate in the sales tax funds. funds. The economist said the local govern - "The city of Vero Beach will tie getting merits will not know until next week what back approximately $500,000 in sales tax their sales tax estimates will be: Commissioner Fletcher stated that the 1� Sales Tax was approved only for a 3 -year period, and he did not believe these funds would be available after that period. Other Board members did not agree with his assumption, but concurred that it is important to be cautious about using these funds because they will fluctuate from year to year. Chairman Scurlock discussed the need to provide services and asked how the mechanism A.A.R.P. is proposing will allow for new programs, such as the 911 Communications Program and the Advanced Life Support Program, neither of