On September 8, 2010 Jack Manilla, representing the Florida Chamber Foundation, engaged attendees at the JCCI Issues and Answers forum in a discussion about Northeast Florida’s assets and liabilities.
The goal? Provide feedback to Foundation’s project to develop strategies and tactics that will get Florida back to work by making the State and its unique regions more economically competitive.
What else would you add to these lists?
Assets existing in our community that provide a (preferably) unique global competitive advantage: The St. Johns River. Multiple transportation resources (i.e. Interstate System, Rail, Waterways). Jacksonville’s logistical location. Military bases. Military veteran workforce. Jaguars. Attractive climate. Diverse geographic communities (urban, rural, oceanfront, riverfront). Medical centers and resources. Diverse business sectors. Strong regional focus/Cornerstone. Consolidated city/county government (Jacksonville). Multiple higher education institutions. Unique quality of life. Visually beautiful city. Efficient and well-maintained airport. Cecil commerce center.
Critical Factors if not addressed will impede our economic growth in the next 5 years / 20 years: Continuous inability to capitalize on the community’s assets. Poor leadership. Lack of business news that positively influences consumer and corporate decisions. Inability to hire educated workers. Too little focus on math, science, and technology in local k-20 education system. Lack of a major research university. Too little effort on improving the mental health system. Regional mass transportation. Tax avoidance policies. Lack of focus on water conservation.
Critical Factors needed to accelerate our economic growth in the next 5 years / 20 years: Focus on efficient and effective regional decision making. Recognition of the region as an economic force by making reference to the “Jacksonville Region” or “Jacksonville Area”. Focus on relaying positive business news for consumers and businesses. Highlight and capitialize on the positive aspects of the regional community. Require that those in City leadership have a master’s level education. Involve diverse people (age, background, views) in leadership and decision making roles. Host a major research university like other regions in the state.
Please read: http://www.flfoundation.org/ “About”, “Pillars – Innovation”, “Pillars - Caucus System”, “Scorecard”
The speaker seems to have identified the many assets (i.e., strengths) and economic roadblocks (i.e., weaknesses) of the Northeast Florida region. How well the region has capitalized on its strengths and addressed its weaknesses is open to question. What is not questionable is the imposing nature of its economic roadblocks. Jacksonville has had well-educated mayors with visionary tendencies, but their pursuit of a vision has been impeded by a poor economy and resistance from the city council. This trend will probably continue until there is a substantial change in the education level of the general populace. The education-level of city leaders tends to reflect that of the population they represent. Not that everyone needs a higher education degree or certificate, but they do need a high school diploma that provides legitimate verification of mastery of basic reading, writing, and computational skills. Having a better educated populace would serve multiple purposes. It would be appealing to those considering the region for a business relocation or startup. It might also translate into a better educated, visionary city leadership. A better educated populace and city leadership would readily recognize the importance of protecting and utilizing regional resources (e.g., St Johns River). It might also lead to recognition of importance of having a research-oriented university in the region. A research university could be a source for creativity and innovation and, as a result, be very appealing to those considering the region.
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