Florida governor touts the state’s economy, finances
(The Center Square) — Gov. Ron DeSantis bragged about the state’s financial condition as he announced nearly $10.4 million in infrastructure projects in central Florida on Tuesday.
“Since I’ve been governor, we’ve actually paid off 36% of our state’s total taxpayer-supported debt,” DeSantis said. “That’s from the 1800s to the present…this budget I signed a week or two ago has $500 million to accelerate even more debt repayment, so we’re gonna bring that number down.”
DeSantis said the budget will go into effect on July 1 and spend less than last year’s outlay. However, the current budget still contains record-breaking funding for infrastructure, road construction, education and conservation efforts.
“We have had a lower unemployment rate than the nation as a whole for 43 consecutive months, that’s almost four years we’ve been beating the national average,” DeSantis said. “We have added jobs in 47 of the past 49 months… private sector job growth rate has exceeded the nation’s for 38 consecutive months.”
When it comes to infrastructure, DeSantis said they saw a need for accelerated projects, particularly in Central Florida. Many of these projects were not set to break ground until after 2030 and some are now scheduled to be completed a decade early.
The can be used to support workforce development, or business development and job creation. DeSantis noted that this grant program is a way to build a future base for economic development.
According to a news release, Umatilla will receive nearly $4.9 million from the fund to complete intersection improvements and increase water and sewer capacity at Lake Ferns Industrial Park in a project expected to create at least 300 new jobs in manufacturing and the construction material industry.
Plant City will receive $5.5 million for a 2.75-mile loop extension of Henderson Way, which will open access to 301 acres for commercial and industrial development.
“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, today’s awards to the City of Umatilla and Plant City focus on Florida’s future by supporting site-ready infrastructure, inspiring new business growth and workforce development,” Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly said. “Strategic investments in key infrastructure growth paired with Florida’s booming talent pipeline makes it possible for businesses to relocate and expand in Florida — benefitting Florida’s economy and the families in these communities.”
The funds will be used to build roads, a potable water distribution system, a water collections system, a reclaimed water distribution system, electrical infrastructure and commercial utilities. The project is intended to bring more than 2,600 new jobs to the area and support the retention of nearly 1,000 jobs.
“We’re accelerating a lot of these projects, so now some things that weren’t even gonna start for five or ten years will be finished within ten years,” DeSantis said. “Some of this is to get ahead of the growth, some of it, quite frankly, is to keep your head above water because you have more people on the roads.”
The state has also appropriated funds to train truck drivers and build on existing logistics. DeSantis pointed out that Florida did not fare well during the 2008 economic crash because it was heavily invested in housing and tourism.
“Now we’ve been in a situation, we’ve been outperforming the nation, our economy is more resilient, I think it’s a lot more diverse than it was then and I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I think what we’ve done has really built a strong foundation for the future of Florida,” DeSantis said.
