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JUN 121 1985 <br />BOOK 6-1 P�A-;E321 <br />to impose this tax or they won't have any money for roads. <br />Commissioner Scurlock agreed that each year more and more <br />counties are going this way and will just not be able to address <br />their needs if they don't. He pointed out that at least it <br />doesn't go into ad valorem taxes and you share the burden among a <br />large amount of people. <br />Walter. Smith, owner of the Union 76 truckstop at 1-95 and <br />Route 60, informed the Board that he happens to be in the unique <br />position that 95% of his sales are to the over -the -road trucker <br />traveling 1-95 and he believed the tax the Board is discussing <br />would be raised about 1/3 from his business, which pumped eight <br />million gallons last year. He did not agree with the research <br />quoted by staff regarding the effect of the tax on revenue and <br />sales and believed that in Wakulla County, sales dropped 33%. <br />Mr. Smith stressed that his main concern is whether the <br />other counties on the 1-95 corridor are going to be instituting <br />this tax because he has competition in St. Lucie, St. Johns, and <br />Flagler County, not to mention Brevard. His average sale to a <br />truck driver is 100 gallons and they can go 500 or more miles on <br />that - all the way to Savannah, Georgia, actually. Because of <br />that, Mr. Smith informed the Boa.rd that in 1980 he presented a <br />Bill to the Legislature to require that all trucks driving <br />highways in Florida pay the proportionate tax on a mandatory <br />basis by either purchasing the fuel in the state or having the <br />option to pay the tax directly to the Department of Revenue, and <br />this Bill was passed. Mr. Smith stated that he would like the <br />Commission to give strong consideration to passing no tax and see <br />how much business will increase. The other option would be to <br />consider a 1t tax at this time instead of 2t and gradually work <br />it in. He did agree that most counties eventually will go this <br />way. <br />Discussion continued at length regarding what counties have <br />imposed this tax and what effect it has had on them, and also as <br />to how far trucks can travel without having to refuel. <br />52 <br />