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_I <br />Boa 92 fuu, 345 <br />MAY 0' '�u4 <br />benefits from beach restoration. The greatest concentration of <br />tourist tax dollars is in the City of Vero Beach. Our beaches <br />attract tourists but are used by.the permanent residents of the <br />county as well. Our tourist industry would be greatly crippled <br />without beaches. This Board made a decision to dedicate the third <br />cent of the tourist tax to the reef project so the reef will not be <br />paid for with ad valorem tax dollars. <br />Commissioner Adams clarified that the PEP reef is not a <br />substitute for sandpumping and is not a substitute for dewatering, <br />which followed sandpumping. The reef is an independent project <br />that was decided on because we saw there was a problem with coastal <br />erosion in our area. She agreed that the beachfront property owner <br />receives the most direct benefit, but there is no question that <br />storm protection for the beaches benefits everyone. Maintaining <br />our beaches is as important as maintaining our infrastructure. We <br />maintain our roads, we must maintain our beaches. The property <br />owners contribute not only tourist tax dollars but also sales tax <br />dollars and -ad valorem tax dollars. We have differing opinions, <br />but in a forum like the BCC we express our opinions, reach a <br />decision, and go forward. Commissioner Adams stated that she is <br />heading the reef project with Coastal Engineer Don Donaldson and <br />with the aid of other staff, and she refuses to hire consultants. <br />It will take time, but eventually there will be a management system <br />to which beachfront property owners will contribute: What we are <br />doing is not perfect, but it is the direction we have chosen. We <br />are doing our best to implement it and to protect our money as well <br />as the beaches for the property owners and for inland people who <br />enjoy going to the beach for recreational benefit. If there is any <br />problem with the installation, American Coastal is liable for that. <br />If the State, after the 3 -year monitoring time, finds that we have <br />caused an adverse impact and orders us to remove the reef, we would <br />have to assume those costs. Commissioner Adams respected Mr. <br />Zorc's opinions and welcomed him to join in the project. <br />Commissioner Bird pointed out that tourist tax money is <br />generated exclusively from people staying overnight in hotel rooms <br />in Indian River County, and he felt that a major portion of the <br />money coming into that fund is generated along the oceanfront by <br />the hotels and motels in that area. The beachfront property owners <br />also are considerable contributors to our tax base because of the <br />value of that property. So the oceanfront property owners who <br />operate hotels and motels in that area contribute a good portion to <br />the cost of beach renourishment. <br />Commissioner Eggert pointed out that -lune restoration is being <br />done privately by the beachfront property owners in an effort to <br />18 <br />