Resolution 10545 RESOLUTION NO. 10545
WHEREAS the City Council of the City of Miami Beach
has been duly petitioned by an impressive number of its most
honored, respected, and public-spirited citizens to adopt a
Resolution indicating its support and advocacy of an act by
the Legislature of the State of Florida for the creation of a
separate county with the usual and normal form of county
government which exists in 66 counties in the State and not the
metropolitan form of county government existing in Dade County,
said county to be comprised of the Greater Miami Beach area, and
WHEREAS such Petition voices the overwhelming desire
and aspiration of all earnest citizens in said Greater Miami
Beach area gravely concerned with the economic future of said
area and the general welfare of the State of Florida, which are
necessarily interwoven, and
WHEREAS it is self-evident that the condition of the
tourist economy of the City of Miami Beach directly affects the
general prosperity of the State of Florida, and
WHEREAS resort centers in the Caribbean and like
areas are ever increasing and are engaged in keen and vigorous
competition for visitors and tourists who heretofore considered
the Miami Beach area their traditional and invariable vacation
ground, and
WHEREAS the burden of the existing tax structure,
with unmistakeable portents of an even more dire future, is such
as to profoundly handicap all efforts of the Greater Miami Beach
area to meet such competition, and
WHEREAS, as an instance of the crushing burden unfairly
imposed upon said area under existing conditions, candid and
fair-minded persons will note that the City of Miami Beach annually
pays in excess of $16,000,000 in Dade County ad valorem taxes,
or 19.62% of the total thereof in Dade County; that the City of
Miami Beach has but 6.7% of the total population of Dade County;
that the City of Miami Beach comprises but 1/ of the useable land
area of Dade County, with the result that 6.7% of the people
living on 1% of the land pay 19.62% of Dade County taxes, and
WHEREAS this intolerable and inequitable tax burden
makes it wholly impossible to cope with competition in the
tourist industry, and
WHEREAS the creation of such new County would enable
the Greater Miami Beach area to improve and enhance said area
by the acquisition and construction of urgently needed public
parks, public beaches, golf courses and like attractions, and
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OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY- 1130 WASHINGTON AVENUE-MIAMI BEACH 39,FLORIDA
WHEREAS the retention of the Greater Miami Beach
area in the permanent forefront of tourist areas would enhance
the general prosperity and welfare of the State of Florida by
bringing more tourists thereto (48% of whom come to Miami Beach
by automobile) who, en route, would benefit the motel and
hotel industry throughout the State, the gasoline industry, the
citrus industry, and proportionate increase of Sales Tax revenue,
and
WHEREAS the retention of the Greater Miami Beach area
of its existing prestige and attraction for visitors and tourists
can only be accomplished by the formation of such county,
NOW , THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the City Council of
the City of Miami Beach, Florida, unanimously adopts this, its
formal Resolution declaring that the economy of the City of Miami
Beach and the general welfare and prosperity of the State of
Florida requires the formation of a new county comprising the
Greater Miami Beach area, and earnestly urges, and seeks the
dedicated support of each Senator and Representative of the
Sovereign State of Florida for the accomplishment of such new
County.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of April, 1961.
Mayor
Attest:
611
City erk
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OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY- 1 130 WASHINGTON AVENUE-MIAMI BEACH 39,FLORIDA
414146*
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