A fine store indeed
Decorators Finest a Palm City gem
3
Back in business
County, BDB reach agreement
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10-year-plan
CRA still at standstill
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PALM CITY/TESORO
YourVoiceWeekly.com VOL. 2/ISSUE 6
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Nixed sales tax back on Patrick McCallister Staff writer
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
MARTIN COUNTY — The county commission nixed a proposed 1-cent local sales tax that— Oh, wait. That was in August. At its Dec. 3 regular meeting, the county commission gave a 4-1 nod to staff moving forward with investigating a proposed local sales tax. “Right now, with the information I have, I believe we need to do a full cent,” Commissioner John Haddox, Palm City, said in a phone interview after the meeting. “I think we should do it for five years.” But he’s only one of five commissioners. If the commission votes to go forward with a proposed half- or 1-cent tax that’ll apply for anywhere from three to 10 years, voters will decide its fate next November during the general elections cycle. The commission directed staff
to investigate a range of local sales-tax options to present at later meetings. Doug Smith, Jensen Beach, dissented. Back in the summer, Smith supported a proposed 1-cent sales tax that could have been meant about $20 million a year for a decade, which would have helped the county to catch up on about $225 million in lagging capital maintenance and improvements. But at the Aug. 20 regular meeting, the commission killed the then proposed sales tax. Actually, the commission just sort of watched the tax proposal make a few gasps for air and die as various motions couldn’t find seconds. “We could have had it off the table, and out of conversation, and had it going in January, 2014,” Smith said in a phone interview after the recent meeting.
See TAX page 14
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013
Dolls with dolls
Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Nikki Seo of Palm City performs as Clara in front of Elizabeth Baehman during the annual performance of ‘The Nutcracker’ by Dance Academy of Stuart at South Fork High School last weekend.
Sheriff seeks serial feline shooter Staff writer
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
PALM CITY — At least two cats have been shot along Cornell Avenue, and Sheriff William Snyder wants the shooter, or shooters, found. “Cruelty or intentional abuse to PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FORT PIERCE, FL PERMIT NO. 248 ECRWSS
Local Postal Customer
animals is a crime and will not be tolerated in Martin County,” he said in an emailed statement to Your Voice News & Views. “If any person is caught causing harm to these animals, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office will take swift action.” Both cats survived the shootings, but needed surgery. One
was found in October and is with her owner. The second was found in November and is at the Hobe Sound Animal Protection League’s Palm City sanctuary. Pauline Glover, executive director, said staff named him “Cornell.” “He’s still recovering,” Glover said. “He needs medicine up to
12 times a day. He’s in the care center.” She said Cornell survived numerous pellet shots, including one to the face and another that lodged under his spine. Savanna Animal Hospital opted to leave the mushroomed pellet there.
See SHOOTER page 9
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Patrick McCallister