Yesterday, in the House of Representatives Economic Affairs Committee meeting, Governor Rick Scott’s administration unveiled the Governor’s Economy and Jobs Proposal. In the proposal, Gov. Scott creates the Community of Economic Profitability program which will reward local governments’ efforts to become more business friendly. Scott’s administration is working with the Florida Chamber Foundation to identify metrics by which to measure local government’s progress toward becoming a designated Community of Economic Profitability.
“The Foundation is honored Governor Scott has asked us to work with him on this very important program,” said Bentina C. Terry, Chair of the Florida Chamber Foundation. “This program will help local governments make our state more competitive as a whole and create much needed jobs.”
Scott’s proposal focused on key economic development goals including reducing business taxes, lowering the unemployment rate, and creating an environment to encourage job creation and reward for good performance in these goals.
To create this environment, Scott’s administration will create a designation called the Community of Economic Profitability. The Florida Chamber Foundation will assist Scott’s office in identifying metrics that will determine if a local government is practicing business friendly policies that create business certainty. The first 10 local governments to be awarded the designation will receive a financial award of a minimum $250,000 and a maximum of $500,000 to be used for small business assistance through its local Small Business Development Center or Economic Development Council.
Scott looked to the Foundation because of a resource they provide called The Florida Scorecard. It has over 120 metrics to help users track the progress and regress of Florida’s economy down to the county level. This resource is at no cost to the user and can help provide the most up-to-date information on the many aspects of our economy.
