Gov Bush Awards Rural Devel Grant to Regional Economic Devel Organization [How Jeb Helps Rural FL]

Gov. Bush: "Job creation and economic
prosperity are the corner stones of this important grant
as we support these north Florida counties and their efforts."

Gov Bush Awards Rural Development Grant to Regional Economic Development Organization

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, July 11, 2002

Contact:
Lisa Gates
(850) 488-5394
or David Bishop
(850) 487-2568

TALLAHASSEE -- Governor Jeb Bush today awarded the Northwest Business Development Council, doing business as Opportunity Florida, Inc., a $100,000 Regional Rural Development Grant. The grant is to promote economic development in Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Liberty, Jackson, and Washington counties. Governor Bush declared all eight counties a "Rural Area of Critical Economic Concern" in 2000.

"This grant compliments the significant work that Opportunity Florida has done to increase economic development opportunities in this rural Panhandle region," said Governor Bush. "Job creation and economic prosperity are the corner stones of this important grant as we support these north Florida counties and their efforts."

Since its creation in 2000, Opportunity Florida has laid the groundwork for what should be an economically productive year for north Florida. The organization completed an underemployment survey, developed both an existing industry strategy and investment/recruitment plan and provided technical assistance to local governments and economic development organization within the region.

"By awarding this rural development grant, Governor Bush is helping our eight rural counties to build a better future for our children," said Richard Williams, executive director, Opportunity Florida. "The assistance we will be able to provide because of this grant will result in more jobs and a brighter future for the Opportunity Florida region."

The positive impact of Opportunity Florida Inc. was exemplified last week when the Florida Economic Development Council honored its member, the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, with the "Deal of the Year" award for work in locating a Georgia Pacific project in the county. This award-winning project will eventually employ 120 people, and make a capital investment of more than $90 million.

Since taking office in 1999, Governor Bush has strived to put rural Florida on a more competitive footing with the rest of the state. Among many rural-based initiatives, the Governor created the "Rural Areas of Critical Economic Concern" which provides rural areas with greater access to the state's economic development incentive programs. Governor Bush also created the Rural Infrastructure Fund, which to date, has helped create nearly 1,300 jobs and retain another 500.

The Governor's commitment to assist distressed communities, by helping them develop more economically, has led to 25 Economic Development Transportation (Road Fund) grants being awarded to rural communities--totaling almost $23 million and creating almost 4,000 jobs. During that same period, the Governor's Office approved Qualified Target Industry awards totaling just over $11 million, to 19 companies, creating almost 2,000 rural area jobs.

Thanks!

While I don't really think tax dollars should be used this way (community groups who care enough to raise their own $$$ are a better way to do it), better this than 'open space preservation'!

Actually, it looks to me like the plan for the population would allow existing towns and villages in rural areas, just not being out by yourself. In PA the state is providing grant money for "planning" that encourages a growth boundary around every current developed area, with the idea that as soon as the state laws change to allow it all development outside the boundaries would be banned. There are paid proffesional planners in my community who advocate this, and encourage citizens to ask the state legislature to give them more tools/power to implement this vision. That's the kind of stuff PA's "Growing Greener" money is paying for!

Thanks for the ping. A few thoughts:

Polk County is in a growing area of Florida, between Tampa and Disney World. The Jacksonville grant, while for a "rural area" outside of Jacksonville, is far less needed than in other parts of the state, since Jax is really Duval County is really Jax...one and the same. Not that there aren't needy areas in all these growing counties.

I'd rather see government getting out of the way of these rural areas. My county, Liberty, is one of those listed as recipients of this $100K grant. That's a drop in the bucket when spread across, what, 7 counties?

We don't want government welfare, we want to be able to log in the Apalachicola National Forest again. While that's not a Jeb thing, it is a federal thing, Brother George. That forest is home to the largest stable population of red-cockaded woodpeckers in the nation...which was just as large and stable before the logging restrictions in the nineties as it is now, thankyouverymuch. As a consequence, our largest "industry" lost a majority of its jobs, and now I guess we need to look for that handout from big daddy government.

Liberty county is an anomaly in today's world, though. We would like to be able to see a little growth, but we'd just as soon the rest of the world leave us the hell alone. We have one stop light, maybe one lawyer, and a lot of hunting land. As the seventh-largest county in the state, we are 60% national forest, 30% logging company land (mostly St. Joe, who will probably develop it over the next 50 years as the panhandle starts to flesh out), and only 10% privately owned. Our fairly new high school is PAID FOR with (minimal) taxes from the feds on the land they removed from private ownership in our county, pre-1990's. We get less money from them now.

We're getting money to renovate our courthouse to "comply" with the ADA....how quaint and how needed, in a county with 7500 people. If someone needs a handup the courthouse steps, we damn well give it to them or our momma's will give us hell. It's the Christian thing to do.

We'd rather have our jobs back and pay our own way, IMHO. Go away, government.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.