www.starbanner.com/article/20070831/BUSINESS/208310332/ -
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Published on: 9/4/2007
Last Visited: 9/4/2007
It's a concern shared statewide, Enterprise Florida vice president Chris Hart told the EDC's monthly board meeting Wednesday.
Enterprise Florida, the state's economic development agency, is looking to hire a consultant who can recommend to local organizations, such as the EDC, funding sources that don't have to be tied to shifting county or city budgets.
"Sustainability is definitely a key," Hart said.
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Hart said Enterprise Florida is looking for ways to help local organizations find ways to lock in consistent funding.
"At Enterprise Florida, there's nothing we can do without local economic development partners," he said.
Hart cited a study by the Ernst and Young accounting firm to show the value of state investment in economic development.The study indicated every dollar a state invests in economic development returns $5.24 to the state, Hart said.
Finding stable state dollars for economic development will probably take two more years, Hart said.
Hart also noted that most state agencies are seeing a budget increase, even with property tax reform coming.
"They're not really cuts.Most people saw an increase in their budget, so it's really a smaller amount of increase," he said.