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TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL <br />Commissioner Tippin initiated a discussion regarding the <br />debate at a recent meeting of the Tourist Development Council on <br />collecting -the tourist tax locally, explaining that within one year <br />of other counties taking over the collection from the Florida <br />Department of Revenue, their revenue almost doubled. <br />Karl Zimmerman, Tax Collector, has discussed the matter with <br />other Tax Collectors in counties where the tax is collected locally <br />and would like to get approval for Indian River County to move <br />toward collecting these taxes locally. Mr. Zimmerman's department <br />is undergoing a major computer overhaul and could include this <br />additional task, if approved. At this time, the State is retaining <br />1% of the tax as a fee and, by statute, our Tax Collector's Office <br />could take up to 3% of the taxes in fees. Commissioner Tippin also <br />felt that people who have-not been paying this tax should be <br />notified immediately of their non-compliance. <br />MOTION WAS MADE by Commissioner Tippin, SECONDED by <br />Commissioner Adams, that the Board approve taking <br />whatever actions are necessary to transfer <br />collection of all tourist taxes to the Indian River <br />County Tax Collector. <br />Under discussion, Chairman Macht stated that from the very <br />beginning the County has suspected that we are not getting a fair <br />count for bureaucratic reasons, and that even the timely arrival of <br />the funds would make a great deal of difference. <br />Commissioner Bird suggested authorizing County Administrator <br />Chandler and the appropriate County staff to meet with Mr. <br />Zimmerman and come back with recommendations as to how we can <br />implement the local collection. <br />Commissioner Eggert felt it should be left up to Tax Collector <br />Zimmerman to do whatever he feels is necessary rather than the <br />Board interfering with the phasing, and Commissioner Adams also <br />felt we should do whatever is necessary to begin local collection. <br />OMB Director Joe Baird advised that he has been discussing the <br />matter with Mr. Zimmerman and it will be at least 6 months to a <br />year before local collection can be implemented. The Tax Collector <br />is going through the process slowly to make sure it is done <br />correctly. <br />THE CHAIRMAN CALLED THE QUESTION and the motion <br />carried unanimously. <br />JANUARY 3, 1995 38 <br />BOOK b4 111�,L Jo <br />