Sarasota County hopes to be an economic engine for the ailing local economy by fast-tracking more than four dozen projects, which it estimates will spur the creation of 900 jobs over the next year. It calls for compressing projects with original completion dates ranging out to 2025 into the next six years. More than $100 million of the $276 million in projects would be jammed into the first year to produce quick economic benefits.
This is a very ambitious plan that Escambia County should also consider. Of course, one of the issues is most local road projects seem to go to catfish pond/lake creator Roads, Inc. However, a creative look at the budget from the point of view of how can the BCC boost the local economy is needed.
We have the LOST monies – let’s bond it and start building libraries, roads and especially the Community Maritime Park. Require contractors to use local labor force and sub-contractors so that money circulates through this economy.
The county commission and the Pensacola city council may be too concerned over keeping government jobs when they should be looking at how to create jobs in the private sector.