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Hernando Today

New Program Aims To Create Jobs

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: December 2, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - After a series of dismal economic regional reports that showed a worsening job and housing market, the Tampa Bay Partnership decided it was time to take action.

This week, the Partnership rolled out its new "Jobs" initiative, a blueprint for regional economic development.

Stuart Rogel, president and CEO of the Partnership, visited Hernando Today on Monday to help promote it.

He admitted the plan is ambitious and perhaps may never get off the ground. But given the repressed economy, he believes it's time to try. His regional marketing group, which includes Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota counties, had to do something to jump-start the economy, he said.

After taking input from community leaders during a series of regional meetings the past year or so, Rogel and his team agreed on the following:

• To bring the Tampa Bay unemployment rate down from over 7.6 percent to 5 percent will require finding jobs for 50,000 people.

• To maintain that 5 percent unemployment rate will require the creation of 30,000 jobs every year just to offset the average annual growth in the labor force.

• To move Tampa Bay's scorecard housing affordability ranking from sixth to third, median household incomes must rise from the current $45,994 in the region to $55,000.

How to accomplish those goals?

First, Rogel wants to get together with the major players in each community - school superintendents, economic development directors, mayors, county commissioners, water board representatives - to identify projects that are "ready to go" but just need funding.

These are projects that developers had in the pipeline but because of budget cuts, property tax reductions or other setbacks, were shoved to the side.

These projects could be revived thanks to President-elect Barack Obama's proposed economic stimulus plan, which is still being tweaked.
Rogel said his group plans to forward a list to the governor, Congressional leaders and the Obama transition team by Christmas so they can be included for funding consideration.

Ideally, that list will include projects involving roads, rail lines, airports, schools, hospital or health care facilities and other job-creating facilities.

The key, he said, is to diversify industry in Hernando County and the region to avoid these "boom-and-bust" economic cycles promoted by a dependence on the construction industry.

Secondly, Rogel wants to get Tampa Bay's key employers and others involved in one-on-one meetings to identify employment trends and determine ways to compete for new job orders.

"We're going to scour everything," Rogel said.

That action plan could be completed by Feb. 1.
Rogel said Hernando County is favorably positioned to compete because of its successful airport, industrial park, rail line and the proximity to urban areas from the Suncoast Parkway and Interstate 75.

Office of Business Development Director Mike McHugh said Hernando County will benefit from this action plan because the group has the kind of regional clout and research capabilities to get the job done.

County commissioners recently beefed up its economic incentives package for new and expanding industry. That, coupled with the new Jobs initiative should yield more jobs for Hernando County, McHugh said.

"Our economy doesn't stop at the county line," McHugh said. "Hernando's success is really predicated on how well the region does."

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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