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properties are tax-exempt and that the exemption return information <br />is confidential and privileged information. <br />County Attorney Vitunac stated that as an elected independent <br />constitutional -officer, Mr. Nolte has the responsibility to run his <br />office, and he is answerable to the electorate. . If there is a <br />problem or a perceived problem, the law provides for a citizen to <br />sue, and if that citizen wins the case, he is reimbursed for all <br />the costs of filing the suit. If the County were to file for a <br />declaratory judgment, it would be two governmental bodies suing <br />each other, and the taxpayers would bear the burden for both. <br />.Attorney Robert Jackson, representing the Property Appraiser, <br />stated that in 1989 he asked for and received an opinion regarding <br />public records from the Attorney General. That opinion contained <br />a footnote which stated that financial records relating to non - <br />homestead property when such records are required to make a <br />determination as to the classification or value of the taxable <br />property are confidential and may not be divulged to any person or <br />corporation except as provided in the law. Florida Statute 143.074 <br />states that all returns of property submitted by the taxpayer <br />pursuant to law shall be deemed to be confidential in the hands of <br />the Property Appraiser, the Clerk of the Circuit Court, the <br />Department of Revenue, the Tax Collector and the Auditor General, <br />except upon court order. <br />Al Vilardi, 445 Georgia Boulevard, Sebastian, one of a group <br />of citizens in the audience who interested in the same subject, <br />stated that there is an organization in the north county that has <br />quite a bit of property. He claimed that people are living there, <br />paying rent, running businesses and receiving all the benefits of <br />the County, while paying no property taxes. He stated that there <br />should be stringent limits in the applications. <br />Mr. Nolte.assured the Board that his investigator checks all <br />applications -as thoroughly as possible within reason and cost <br />limits. Every time a taxpayer makes a report, his employees check <br />it out. He stated that his employees checked the organization in <br />question on several occasions. If anyone has information, all they <br />have to do is call his office and it will be followed up. <br />Reith Miller, 961 Riviera Avenue, claimed that sewer and water <br />lines were constructed down CR -512 to 102nd Avenue to property <br />owned by the organization under discussion. The lines went past _ <br />his house but he was not connected and he felt that was unusual. <br />Commissioner Eggert explained that the sewer and water lines - <br />were as a result of the recommendation by the Economic Council to <br />construct sewer and water lines to I-95 at the intersections of <br />Oslo Road, SR -60 and CR -512. <br />BOOK `43 <br />FmLAP <br />November 1, 1994 <br />