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13062 RESOLUTION NO. 13062 WHEREAS, pursuant to law, the Dade County Tax Assessor filed his ad valorem tax assessment roll on all taxable real and personal property in Dade County on July 1, 1970; and WHEREAS, pursuant to existing statutory law, the time for filing appeals by taxpayers who deem themselves aggrieved by any increase in assessment expired on July 15, 1970; and WHEREAS, the public has been informed that the said ad valorem tax assessment roll for the tax year 1970 repre- sents an average increase of 32%; and WHEREAS , the general public has been wholly unprepared for such a sharp and drastic increase in assessed values; and WHEREAS, a large proportion of affected taxpayers desired and intended to file appeals from such increases on their taxable real and personal property, but that the appeal period is so short and inadequate as to afford little or no opportunity for persons to prepare and present their appeal that, in effect, because of the inadequacy of the appeal period, they are being deprived of due process of law; and WHEREAS, the taxpaying public is wholly unprepared for such sharp increase in assessed values with resultant unexpec- tant, onerous, and in many instances, confiscatory potential tax burdens, if there be no proportionate reduction in the mill- age tax rate; and WHEREAS, it is the belief and firm conviction of numer- ous taxpayers that the existing system of an appointive tax assessor renders the tax system and procedures wholly unresponsive to the needs of the community, and makes such system an instru- ment fraught with grave potential harm to the economy throughout the entire community; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA: a) That the Dade Commission review the new 1970 Ad Valorem Tax Assess- ment Roll with all reasonable speed, and if it be the finding and deter- mination of said Commission that the said tax assessment roll cannot be substantially reduced, that the said Dade County Commission, to insure that no oppressive and confiscatory taxes are imposed, that appropriate measures be taken to so reduce the County mill- age rate as to result in a level of taxation not higher than was imposed for the tax year 1969, and, if at all possible, that the millage be so reduced as to result in a lower rate of taxation than for preceding years; -1- OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY-1130 WASHINGTON AVENUE-MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139 b) That the Metropolitan Dade County Commission proceed, with all reasonable speed, to call a public hearing for the purpose of consider- ing the question of amending the Metropolitan Dade County Home Rule Charter to make the office of Tax Assessor elective by the people, rather than continuing said office in its present appointive status; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of the above and fore- going Resolution be transmitted to the HONORABLE CLAUDE R. KIRK, JR. , Governor of the State of Florida, and to each and every member of the Metropolitan Dade County Commission. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 15th day of July , 1970. • .yo Attest: 40 /46, Atf.je_r_c_ ity Clerk - Finance Director -2- OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY-1130 WASHINGTON AVENUE-MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139