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Economic Development
Miami's Rush for New Construction Jobs
In the Express Lane
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Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, who lobbied commissioners to approve the plan, says no additional funding will be required. “The money is already there. It’s just a matter of putting it to use, getting it out on the street and into workers’ pockets,” says Alvarez.
Miami-Dade has been especially hard hit by the real estate downturn. Florida lost 81,600 construction jobs last year, with the bulk of those in Miami-Dade.
County officials say the economic stimulus plan will create roughly 8,500 jobs and almost $400 million in wages, salaries and other employer benefits.
Alvarez says the fast-track approval will remove much of the county’s red tape, without sidestepping competitive bidding requirements and oversight. “We’re a large government bureaucracy, and we can’t always do things as quickly or efficiently as the private sector,” says Alvarez. “At a time when people need to get back to work, this allows us to operate a bit more efficiently.”