Laserfiche WebLink
41 <br />BOOK 69 PACE 243 <br />maintenance, or Sheriff's patrol. He pointed out that his taxes <br />have doubled in the 8 years he has been there, having gone from <br />$1100 to $2200. He understood he has the ability to go to the <br />Property Appraiser and argue that his assessment is too high <br />10 <br />since his property is in an area that has such a lack of <br />services. Mr. McGilpin recalled that the reason Proposition #13 <br />was so successful in California was that people got to the point <br />that they could not afford their taxes and had to sell their <br />homes. He urged the Board not to let that happen here. This <br />statement was followed by much clapping. <br />Commissioner Bird emphasized that growth does not pay for <br />itself, and we are still playing catch up on services for people <br />who are not even here yet. <br />Mrs. Marshall, Roseland, stated that she and her husband <br />sold their single-family home in Palm Bay and are now living in a <br />mobile home on a lot in Roseland. Their intention was to live <br />there on a very little fixed income; however, they were shocked <br />that their taxes here are higher than on the masonry home they <br />sold in Palm Bay. She realized that the Jail expenses are a very <br />large part of the budget, and wondered if any attempt is being <br />made to use prisoners on public projects. She suggested that in <br />order to gain extra space in the Jail, the prisoners could work <br />and sleep in shifts. <br />Chairman Scurlock advised that we have weekend work programs <br />where prisoners can work off their time doing community service. <br />With regard to the Jail, the State tells us what to do, and in <br />fact, we had to spend more money on acoustics because they said <br />the noise level was too high. We don't have enough space in the <br />new Jail and most of the prisoners are felons. <br />Mrs. Marshall asked if the County invests money in order to <br />keep the taxes down, and OMB Director Baird assured her that <br />monies are invested at the highest rate of return available. <br />Harold J. Fitzgerald of the Moorings, representing the <br />Taxpayers of Indian River County, questioned various line items <br />12 <br />