The Guide

THE GUIDE the local newspaper for all South Dade BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit 742 Miami, Fla. Vol. 2 No. 19 William von Maurer, Editor Thursday, October 20, 1960 Published by TIMES-GUIDE 308 Aragon • Coral Gables, Fla. • HI 3-1661 Combined Circulation 44,095

Hospital Denies 'Freeloading' Audit Report Challenged By Doctors' Director

By EDWIN KNIGHT The yes-no question of whether Doctors' Hospital meets the requirements of a tax exempt medical institution continued this week. The hospital, the top subject of discussion here recently because of a spot audit showing the medical institution allegedly does not meet the requirements exempting it from paying city ad valorem taxes, took issue with the audit and emphatically replied that it does meet the requirements. Hospital Director Mary Reeder told The Times last week that figures used in the report were deceiving. She said that at least one-third of the hospital's net operating profit goes for charity, research and community welfare. Outlines Expenditures "Of the hospital's net operating profit of $373,417 since the last of 1957," Mrs. Reeder said, "at least $122,923 went for charity and research and the remaining $250,000 went to the hospital's betterment." The medical institution had a total of $5,519,556 in income during the three-year period. But $4,951,118 of that amount went for direct charges and expenses, she said. There were other charges which brought the hospital's net operating profit to $373,417, Mrs. Reeder said. A founder of the hospital, Mrs. Reeder said, "Actually, everything above hospital expenses goes toward educational, scientific and charitable work. "If the city wants to sacrifice this charity and research for the tax dollar, then it is turning away a fine medical institution," she said. Plan To Prove Case "We have a case and we plan to prove to the city next July that we are operating as a tax exempt institution." Next July, when the city commission sits as a Board of Equalization, the whole matter will be taken up, the commission decided recently at an inquiry. The tax roll, as submitted by the city tax assessor, is approved at that time. Any citizen or institution challenging a tax assessment may be heard by the Board of Equalization. This is the second time in two years that the hospital's tax exempt status has come before the city commission. In 1958 City Tax Assessor Thomas C. Blount pointed out to the City Commission that he did not think the hospital should be tax exempt. On advice of City Attorney Ted Semple, the commission overruled Blount and granted the exemption. The question was brought up again recently by Bernard Weksler, a Coral Gables attorney who is seeking to require charitable institutions to live up to state laws covring tax exemptions.

PLANNED FOR THE CORNER of Sunset Dr. and SW 61st Ct. is this eight-story office structure which will be one of the first cooperative-type office buildings in Dade County. Costing over $1 million, the building will contain 36 rental units and have parking for some 108 cars. Architect is Walter Klements. South Miami Realtor John Brau is sales representative.

Motel Suit Holds Back Pool Permit

There will be no swimming pool for the Atlantic Court Apartments, 750 South Dixie Hwy.-at least until after a suit pending against the apartment by City of Coral Gables is settled. This was made plain to owners of the apartment who appealed to the Commission for a swimming pool between the apartments and the highway right of way. Approximately 10 property owners surrounding the apartment voiced objections to the pool which they said would entice the apartment to operate even more as a motel. Code Prohibits Coral Gables zoning codes prohibit the erection of a pool on the street side of a building. Atlantic Court owner C. F. Otto said as far as he knows his apartment is operating as an apartment. He added he doesn't know what he must do to keep residents from moving out in a night or two except build a pool. He said renters of his rooms do not want to stay more than a fortnight because of the highway traffic noise and the transient element on the highway. The commission offered to revie the pool petition following settlement of the suit. Suit Filed A suit has been filed against Atlantic Court, Dixie Court and Riviera Court apartments by City of Coral Gables for operating and advertising as motels. The city's action followed notices by South Dixie Hwy. residents to the city that the apartments are operating as motels. In other action, the commission: AUTHORIZED the issuance of a retail beverage store license to Louis F. and Arthur J. Paoletti, doing business as Paoletti's Restaurant, 2900 Ponce de Leon Blvd., for consumption of beer and wine on the premises. Law permits restaurants having a seating capacity of 100 persons or more to have such a license. (Continued on Page 2)

Water Rates Fight Led By S. Miami

South Miami's bid for lower water rates was turned down by the Metro Commission prior to the freezing of all Consumers Water Company rates Tuesday. The Commission, acting on advice of its Water Committee, set unifom rates for all areas served by Consumers Water Company even though South Miami has a suit pending against it because it set its own water rates two years ago. South Miami set its rates at $1.40 for the first 500 cubic feet of water and was promptly sued by the water company. Injunction Ordered The utility received an injunction putting the water rates back to $1.50. The suit never has been settled. But former South Miami city attorney Hughlan Long argued Tuesday that if the suit is settled in South Miami's favor, the rates will be frozen and the city will have no recourse but to wait until the two-year freezing period is over. Lower rates were given county residents served by Consumers, the largest privately owned water company in Dade County. County rates were cut from $1.80 to $1.50, bringing the savings to county residents to an estimated $80,000 a year. The new rates will go into effect in several weeks following Metro acquisition of the company. This is the first cut of Consumers' rates in the 32 years that the utility has been in business.

County Construction Off, But— Gables Building Totals Climb

Despite building standstills in other parts of South Florida, Coral Gables is building more this year than it did in 1959. For the first eight months of 1960 city building valuations were far below similiar 1959 figures for corresponding periods. Ranging anywhere from $763,000 in January to $2 million in February below last year's building, the gap closed slowly during the first eight months of 1960 to September when the 1960 total stood above the 1959 total figure. UM Building Helped But it took an expensive University of Miami building and apartment houses to do it. Last month permits were taken out for three apartment buildings with a total of 43 units valued at $446,190. A permit also was issued last month for a $134,000 University of Miami School of Music building to be constructed at 5501 San Amaro Dr. One apartment building, a 33-unit, five-story structure is being built by Robet Othling at 650 Coral Way. It is valued at $390,000. Contractor is P. J. Goodwin. Two Apartments The other two apartments, both two stories, are being constructed at 700 South Dixie Hwy. and 43 Alhambra Cir. The South Dixie Hwy. apartment has four units and is valued at $25,690. The other apartment is six units and valued at $30,500. Other building permits were issued duing September for 11 additions, 10 residences, three alterations, and two pools. Going into September, the 1960 figures totaled $9,508,840, compared to the $9,593,303 in 1959. Jumped Ahead However, with the addition of the September figures to those of the previous eight months, the 1960 figures jumped ahead by $125,816. The September 1960 permit figure was $1,128,122, which ran the yearly total to $10,636,962. The 1959 total though September is $10,511,146. Included in 1960 building permit figures were permits issued for 117 residences, 15 apartments with 227 units, 17 offices, seven duplexes, 44 pools, 28 alterations, 187 additions, three service stations and three stores with 12 units.

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Congregational Church Looted Of $200 In Cash

Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 DeSota Ave., was broken into Sunday night, Oct. 9, with $200 in cash taken. According to the Reverend Howard Huntycker, entry into the church was gained through an office window in the east side of the building.

Not Stopping Is A Habit

A 22-year-old youth, Wofford Donahoo, 608 Alcazar Ave., received a $50 fine in Metro Court Sept. 30 for running a stop sign. Donahoo was slapped with a $100 fine on a similar charge a few days before the Sept. 30 rulling.