Ron DeSantis has a tough act to follow as our new governor. I’m encouraged that he is already moving to the center, but there’s no doubt he’ll be on the conservative side of the ledger.
In an exclusive interview right before Thanksgiving, DeSantis told Florida Trend that he was intent on diversifying Florida’s economy. As an Enterprise Florida board member, I hope he sticks to that script, fully funds EFI, travels on some economic mission trips and follows former Gov. Rick Scott’s jobs policy.
Trend reporter Jason Garcia outlines what are likely to be DeSantis’ priorities in the years ahead.
The environment could be a winner under DeSantis. He wants to increase the flow of freshwater from Lake Okeechobee to points south, thus minimizing discharges to the east and west, which have fouled waterways and troubled both residents and visitors.
Job training could also come out ahead. DeSantis wants to add more career-specific training programs, creating a larger pool of young people with the real-world vocational skills that local employers need.
Please see the complete report on our new governor and on Scott’s legacy.
Florida continues to grow . . . and grow . . . and grow. Our Economic Outlook package shows Florida’s population at 21.5 million.
What’s notable is that four of the five smallest counties in the state are in the Northwest, though two of the four with the biggest population gains (Santa Rosa and Walton) are also in that region. And while the largest counties by population are in the Southeast or along the I-4 corridor, those regions show steady but moderate growth.
Along with all the population gains come growth pains. Transportation problems are cropping up around the state, and land is getting outrageously expensive, driving up home prices.
While there are signs that the economy may be cooling off nationally — the New York Times ran an article about slowing real estate sales in Texas and economist Hank Fishkind in Orlando warns of a recession coming in late 2019 or in 2020 — many industry experts are optimistic about Florida’s economy in the year ahead. Read what they have to say in our Outlook package.
Have a heart. About 6 million people in the U.S. suffer from heart failure. Fortunately for us, Florida is a leader in cardiac care. Read about a Scripps researcher who is working to make experimental therapy more effective, a new branch of medicine to treat adults with congenital heart disease and a program designed to train more cardiac specialists.
The deadline to register for Best Companies to Work For in Florida is Jan. 25. The winners will be published in our August issue. In the meantime, employers and employees will be surveyed. Sign up at bestcompaniesfl.com. It’s free. Good luck!
Fitness Update: Fitness update: I ran the Turkey Trot in 29:12, which is amazing for me. The race started at 7:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. The weather was cool. The humidity was low. And I ran along side our 25-year-old son, who helped set what for me was a fast pace. I credit my two-plus workouts per week over the last year.
— Andy Corty, Publisher
[acorty@floridatrend.com]
See other stories from Florida Trend's January issue.
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