The FEDC Board of Directors has launched a Strategic Doing effort, facilitated by Graylan Ventures.As mentioned in previous emails your voice and participation are critical to reaching the goals and priorities established by task forces set up around each strategy.
If you have already taken the survey, thanks for your valuable input.
Advocacy Update
Now is the time to be meeting with your legislators at home in their districts.
Lawmakers will return to the Capitol October 14 for the next regularly scheduled committee week. Here are some talking points for the reauthorization of the Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund Program (QTI), which is due to sunset on June 30, 2020.
2019–2020 INTERIM COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE
September 2019—Week of the 16th
October 2019—Week of the14th
October 2019—Week of the21st
November 2019—Week of the4th
November 2019—Week of the12th
December 2019—Week of the9th
During meetings of House budget panels last week, state agencies outlined proposals including remarks by DEO Director Ken Lawson, saying Governor Ron DeSantis is asking for $85 million in the economic-development effort, known as the Job Growth Grant Fund.
“For the last three years that this fund has been available for workforce programs and infrastructure projects, the demand from our communities has exceeded our fund,” Lawson said.
During the fiscal year that ended June 30, the state received more than 90 proposals requesting more than $530 million in funding.
Under the new budget proposals for 2020-2021, funding for the Visit Florida would remain at $50 million - a proposal submitted by Visit Florida leaders. While that would be the same amount as during the current fiscal year, it would be down from $76 million in prior years, which is the desired amount of direct marketing support organizations.
The proposals presented last week by state agencies are an initial step in the budget process that will lead to lawmakers negotiating a 2020-2021 spending plan during the legislative session that starts Jan. 14. The 2020-2021 budget will take effect on July 1.
Mickie Birdsall Featured Scholar Carol Palacio
Carol M. Palacio works for Orange County Government in the Office of Economic Trade and Tourism Development. Her role is to develop international trade and investment partnerships within Orange County.
Ms. Palacio also serves as the protocol officer for the Mayor, managing the logistics for the visits of foreign government officials, as well as all economic trade missions abroad led by the Mayor. Furthermore, Carol is the liaison between the Orange County Convention Center, Orange County Government, and the Orlando Economic Partnership.
Carol’s professional work history in the non-profit, private, and government sector has allowed her to collaborative across industry clusters to unify and find unique economic development opportunities for stakeholders.
Ms. Palacio fosters strategic relationships with organizations such as The Orlando Economic Partnership, Enterprise Florida, the Regional Chambers of Commerce, The Central Florida International Trade Office, The Consular Corps, amongst others.
Ms. Palacio was a Bridges to Success scholarship recipient at Valencia College, graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree and pursued a Master of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida.