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Governor Rick Scott today announced Florida’s statewide unemployment rate for April 2013 was 7.2 percent, the lowest rate since September 2008. Down 0.3 percentage points from March’s rate of 7.5 percent, Florida’s unemployment rate continues to fall below the national average of 7.5 percent for April. Over the month, Florida added 16,700 private sectors jobs throughout the state.

Governor Scott said, “Florida’s families are getting back to work and our state’s economy is growing. With 16,700 new private sector jobs added last month and an unemployment rate that continues to decline, Florida is once again below the national average at 7.2 percent.

“Growing jobs is our top priority and this legislative session we eliminated barriers on manufacturers to ensure Florida is a top destination for manufacturing jobs.  Just last week we also welcomed Hertz to Florida and are excited they have chosen to relocate their corporate headquarters to the Sunshine State.  It is clear that our policies to create jobs for Florida families and attract new and expanding businesses to Florida is working.”

Since December 2010, Florida’s statewide unemployment rate has dropped nearly four percentage points, from a rate of 11.1 percent to April’s rate of 7.2 percent. In the same timeframe, the national unemployment rate has dropped 1.8 percentage points, demonstrating Florida’s improving economic climate continues to outpace the national recovery. Florida’s unemployment rate has now declined year-over-year for 30 consecutive months.

More Jobs Being Created

• With the addition of 16,700 private sector jobs over the month, Florida has experienced positive annual job growth now for 33 consecutive months. This adds up to 330,000 new private sector jobs created in Florida since December 2010.
• Florida job postings increased in April 2013 compared to the previous April by 7,977 (+3.2 percent), for a total of 255,567 openings (seasonally adjusted) according to the Help Wanted OnLine data series from the Conference Board.
• Florida’s job growth month-to-month has been positive for 21 of the last 22 months.
• Florida is expected to create more than 900,000 new jobs by 2018, according to the Florida Economic Estimating Conference.
• Job postings for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations in Florida compiled by the Help Wanted OnLine data series from The Conference Board totaled 58,637 (seasonally adjusted) openings in April 2013. Over the year, STEM job postings were up by 3,842 openings (+7.0 percent) compared to April 2012.  Over the month, STEM demand in April increased by 2,931 openings (+5.3 percent) from the 55,637 postings in March 2013.

Unemployment Continues to Decline

• Florida’s unemployment rate has now declined year-over-year for 30 consecutive months.
• Initial claims for Reemployment Assistance benefits were down by 10.1 percent from one year ago.

Home Sales Robust

• Home sales remain robust as the backlog of existing homes on the market is down by 33 percent from March 2012 (Florida Realtors).
• Florida housing starts were up over the year in March 2013 (the most recent month available) by 41.1 percent and median home prices were up 15.9 percent in March 2013 over the year.

Economic Growth Trends Up Across State

• A recent U.S. Census Survey reported that Florida experienced an influx of people moving into the state. Florida also led the nation in migrations from Puerto Rico.
• Florida is running a trade surplus of over $24 billion – with $86.8 billion in exports and $62.4 billion in imports in 2011, up from $73.1 billion in exports in 2010 and $53.2 billion in imports in 2010.

Workforce Boards Assisting in Employment

• In April, Florida’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards reported more than 41,300 Floridians were placed in jobs. An individual who receives employment and training assistance through a One-Stop Career Center and finds a job within 180 days is deemed a placement and may be reported by a regional workforce board. Of these individuals, 11,457 previously received Reemployment Assistance.
• In 2012, more than 426,000 Floridians were placed in jobs, with nearly 111,173 former claimants finding employment.

Originally published April 28 ,2013
AP News

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida’s teachers are going to get a pay raise, but it won’t be coming until next year.

House and Senate budget negotiators finished their work late Sunday night. One of the last items agreed to was a pay raise package for the state’s teachers.

But the raise won’t take effect until June 2014. And it won’t be an across-the-board, $2,500 raise like Gov. Rick Scott initially recommended.

Instead, teachers ranked as effective will be eligible for a $2,500 pay raise, while those ranked as highly effective would be eligible for $3,500. Teacher performance would be linked to student achievement, but the final plan would be developed and approved by each school board across the state.

Scott issued a statement applauding the final deal reached by legislators, saying it should still lead to most teachers getting a raise.

“Our teachers are some of the best in the nation and they deserve to be rewarded for their great work,” Scott said.

Florida Education Association President Andy Ford also praised the deal because it means that additional money will be going to the state’s schools.

But House Democratic Leader Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, said the deal was a “slap in the face” to teachers because they will have to wait more than a year before they get the raise.

“That is really an insult that they have to wait until 2014,” said Thurston.

Lawmakers have set aside a total of $480 million for the raises, which would also be available to principals, assistant principals, librarians and guidance counselors. It’s part of an overall $1 billion increase for education that legislators set aside in the proposed $74 billion budget.

“This is an incredible win for the teachers and students of our state,” said House Speaker Will Weatherford in a statement.

Legislators worked through the entire weekend to finish up work on the budget. Some of the decisions that they reached – including a 3 percent tuition hike for college and university students – have been opposed by Scott.

Top Republicans, however, insisted that Scott should still be pleased with many of the spending items included in the final budget.

Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, contended that Scott had been a “constructive and strong partner.”

“Neither the House nor the Senate nor the governor won in these budget negotiations,” Gaetz said in a statement.

Legislators had to reach a final deal on the budget in order to end the session by May 3. State law requires that the budget be placed on the desk of lawmakers 72 hours before a final vote.

Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart and the Senate budget chief, said it’s possible that lawmakers could now vote on the budget a day earlier than expected.

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…

New York Daily News: “New York’s future flees to Florida”

William Ruger and Jason Sorens, New York Daily News

March 31, 2013

For Full Story Click HERE

New Yorkers have long retired to the warmth and ease of the Florida coast, but eyebrow-raising numbers show that in recent years, most of those moving from the Empire State to the Sunshine State have been going there to find work.

Florida remains the top destination for outbound New Yorkers, but the new migrants are a lot younger than you’d expect.

According to the five-year American Community Survey, which the U.S. Census conducted from 2007 to 2011, 78% of the people who migrated from New York to Florida in those years were under age 60. The ages with the highest proportions of migrants to Florida were 18, 19, 21, 24, 28, 40 and 55.

Even leaving out the 18- and 19-year olds, many of whom are probably college students, that’s a lot of early retirees, and an astonishing number of young workers.

Even the numbers of New Yorkers moving to Florida in their late 30s and mid 40s aren’t much lower than the number of retirees moving at the end of their careers.

This means that an increasing number of New Yorkers either can’t afford to remain in their home state or can’t find work there — and are thus moving to states with friendlier business climates to find it.

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States that allow residents to keep more of their money and run businesses without undue burdens create higher personal income growth and draw steady streams of people from other states.

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All of which has made the Sunshine State even more enticing for the young today than it has long been for the old.

Governor Rick Scott today announced that since Dec. 2010, Florida has created 294,200 private-sector jobs and Florida’s February 2013 unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percentage points to 7.7 percent – the lowest since October 2008. Governor Scott made the announcement at Amcor Rigid Plastics USA Inc. in Orlando, a plastics manufacturing company, which opened a new 500,000 sq-ft manufacturing facility in January, hiring 29 employees with a capital investment of $20 million.

Governor Scott said, “With an unemployment rate of 7.7 percent, the lowest in more than four years, and nearly 300,000 private sector jobs created over the last two years, we have proof that IT’S WORKING. Our efforts to reduce taxes, pay down state debt and grow the economy, demonstrates our success in growing jobs for Florida families. While today’s announcement is great news, we know we have more work to do to ensure that every Florida family that wants a job can get one.”

Over the month, the state experienced an increase of 7,700 private-sector jobs, while 139,200 private sector jobs have been created since February 2012. Since Governor Scott took office, the state’s unemployment rate has dropped 3.4 percentage points, the second largest drop in the nation.

More Jobs Being Created

• Florida has experienced positive annual job growth now for 31 consecutive months.
• Florida job postings increased in February 2013 compared to the previous February by 21,366 (+8.8 percent), for a total of 263,240 openings (seasonally adjusted) according to the Help Wanted OnLine data series from the Conference Board.
• Florida’s job growth month-to-month has been positive for 19 of the last 20 months.
• Florida is expected to create more than 900,000 new jobs by 2018, according to the Florida Economic Estimating Conference.
• The number of available online job openings in STEM-related (sciences, technology, engineering, and math) fields in Florida have increased since last year, up 10.4 percent, for a total of 57,488 postings in February 2013.

Unemployment Continues to Decline

• Florida’s unemployment rate has now declined year-over-year for 28 consecutive months.

Home Sales Robust

• Home sales remain robust as the backlog of existing homes on the market is down by 32 percent from February 2012 (Florida Realtors).
• Florida housing starts were up over the year in January 2013 (the most recent month available) by 52.6 percent and median home prices were up 12.8 percent in February 2013 over the year.

Economic Growth Trends Up Across State

• A recent U.S. Census Survey reported that Florida experienced an influx of people moving into the state. Florida also led the nation in migrations from Puerto Rico.
• Florida is running a trade surplus of over $24 billion – with $86.8 billion in exports and $62.4 billion in imports in 2011, up from $73.1 billion in exports in 2010 and $53.2 billion in imports in 2010.

Workforce Boards Assisting in Employment

• In February, the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards reported more than 38,000 Floridians placed in jobs.

·         More than 426,000 Floridians were placed in jobs in 2012, with 111,173 former claimants finding employment.

A stunning announcement out of Florida this week. The state that was exhibit A for economic disaster two years ago is now experiencing a tremendous rebound thanks to Gov. Rick Scott’s pro-growth policies. Washington should take a page — no, several pages — out of Scott’s book.

Since December 2010, one month before Scott took office, the unemployment rate in Florida has dropped from 11.1 percent to 7.8 percent — that rate is lower than the national average. After two years of Scott’s policies, 282,000 private sector jobs have been created; in the previous four years the state had lost 825,000 jobs.

The past two years have set records for tourism, Florida’s biggest industry. In 2012, 89.3 million people visited Florida, up 2.3 percent from the previous record-setting year.

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When Scott took over he was handed an economy in the tank, large debts and budget deficits — a complete mess. Then he went to work.

* Reforming state government: He oversaw a reduction in over 2300 needless regulations and 12,000 government positions.

* Cutting taxes: He cut property taxes by more than $210 million and eliminated the state for 63 percent of the businesses that paid it when he was a elected. He is doubling down in the current legislative session by proposing to eliminate the tax for all manufacturing companies — which would mean that 70 percent of all Florida businesses would no longer pay the tax. He intends to make that 100 percent before he’s done.

* Personal income has also risen by 6.6 percent in Florida since Scott took office, going against a national trend where the family dollars are being stretched razor thin.

…

When you contrast Florida with Washington, there is no contest. A growing Florida economy vs. a struggling national economy. More jobs being created vs. no jobs being created. A balanced budget for a streamlined, reformed government focused on providing effective services to the people vs. an ever-growing monstrous federal government with record deficits and debts.

The whole record is impressive and Rick Scott deserves a lot of credit for taking the heat for tough decisions, staying the course, and implementing pro-growth policies that are bearing fruit.

See the full Huffington Post article here.

Governor Rick Scott today announced that since Dec. 2010, Florida has created 282,200 private-sector jobs and Florida’s January unemployment rate decreased below the national average to 7.8 percent – down from the revised December 2012 rate of 7.9 percent. This is Florida’s lowest unemployment rate since November 2008, and falls below the national average unemployment rate for the first time since January 2008.

Over the month, the state experienced an increase of 14,700 private-sector jobs. Since Governor Scott took office, the state’s unemployment rate has dropped 3.3 percentage points. Florida’s January 2013 unemployment rate of 7.8 percent was lower than the January national average of 7.9 percent.

Governor Scott said, “Everything we do is geared toward job creation. Today we have more proof that IT’S WORKING. Our unemployment rate is down to 7.8 percent – falling below the national average for the first time in five years. We have added more than 280,000 private-sector jobs over the last two years, and as we continue to focus on greater economic growth, we will see even more jobs created.

“Other states chose to raise taxes. Other states chose to increase debt. In Florida, we chose the course of economic growth and greater job creation by cutting taxes and paying down debt for the first time in decades by $2 billion. Today’s announcement is more proof that our formula for economic growth is working and providing more jobs and opportunities for Florida families. We are glad to see our unemployment rate fall below the national average for the first time in years, but our work isn’t done until every Floridian who wants a job can find one.

“Today’s event at Mitsubishi Power Systems also highlights the importance of our mission to totally eliminate the sales tax on manufacturing equipment. I am grateful for the legislators who are committed to supporting this priority. With their help, we will achieve another important milestone in Florida’s economic growth.”

Every March, the U.S. Department of Labor’s, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity release January employment and unemployment estimates as well as revised historical data.  Today’s announcement is the result of that annual process, which is known as “benchmarking.”  These benchmark revisions are a standard part of the estimation process and take place this same time every year in each state nationwide.

More Jobs Being Created

• Florida has experienced positive annual job growth now for 30 consecutive months.
• Florida job postings increased in February 2013 compared to the previous February by 21,366 (+8.8 percent), for a total of 263,240 openings (seasonally adjusted) according to the Help Wanted OnLine data series from the Conference Board.
• Florida’s job growth month-to-month has been positive for 18 of the last 19 months.
• Florida is expected to create 900,000 new jobs by 2018, according to the Florida Economic Estimating Conference.
• The number of available online job openings in STEM-related (sciences, technology, engineering, and math) fields in Florida have increased since last year, up 10.4 percent, for a total of 57,488 postings in February 2013.

Unemployment Continues to Decline

• Florida’s unemployment rate has now declined year-over-year for 27 consecutive months.
• Initial claims for Reemployment Assistance benefits were down by almost 15 percent from one year ago.

Home Sales Robust

• Home sales remain robust as the backlog of existing homes on the market is down by 41 percent from November 2011 (Florida Realtors).
• Florida housing starts were up over the year in January (the most recent month available) by 52.6 percent and median home prices were up 12.4 percent over the year.

Economic Growth Trends Up Across State

• A recent U.S. Census Survey reported that Florida experienced an influx of people moving into the state. Florida also led the nation in migrations from Puerto Rico.
• Florida is running a trade surplus of over $24 billion – with $86.8 billion in exports and $62.4 billion in imports in 2011, up from $73.1 billion in exports in 2010 and $53.2 billion in imports in 2010.

Workforce Boards Assisting in Employment

• In February, the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards reported more than 38,000 Floridians placed in jobs.
• More than 426,000 Floridians were placed in jobs in 2012, with 111,173 former claimants finding employment.

Due to the processing time needed to prepare the annual benchmarking updates, the release of February 2013 employment data is scheduled for March 29. For the remainder of 2013, the monthly releases of the prior month’s data will occur on the third Friday of each month.  To view the January 2013 monthly employment data visit:

www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.

“Florida tourism reports record year, record jobs in 2012”

Sara K. Clarke, Orlando Sentinel

February 18, 2013

For Full Story Click HERE
 
It was a banner year for Florida tourism in 2012, as an additional 2 million people enjoyed the Sunshine State, setting the tourism industry up for its second consecutive record year.
 
An estimated 89.3 million people came to Florida in 2012, up 2.3 percent compared with a year earlier, according to preliminary estimates released Monday by Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency. That beat out the previous record – 87.3 million – set in 2011.
 
…
 
“Surpassing the 10 million overseas visitor mark for the first time ever is a significant milestone for Florida’s tourism industry,” said Glenn Hastings, Visit Florida’s chairman and executive director of the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council.
 
…
 
The added tourists resulted in record jobs as well. Visit Florida said direct travel-related jobs in the state grew to 1,030,600.
 
Gov. Rick Scott praised the industry’s record year Monday. His administration has pledged to increase Visit Florida’s public funding to $75 million next year, which he said will “continue to support even more economic growth.”
 

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Contact: media@eog.myflorida.com

(850) 717-9282

Gov. Scott’s Colombia Trade Mission Sales Could Top $40 Million

TALLAHASSEE, FL –Governor Rick Scott and Enterprise Florida (EFI) today announced that the participating companies on the trade mission to Bogotá, Colombia reported actual and expected sales in excess of $40 million as a result of the trip. Governor Scott and EFI were a part of one of the largest TEAM Florida trade missions to Bogotá, Colombia, with more than 190 participants representing 116 Florida companies, statewide organizations and higher educational institutions to promote economic development opportunities in the Sunshine State last December.

Governor Scott said, “It is great news that mission sales are on track to exceed $40 million, and with the recent ratification of the Free Trade Agreements, I am confident Florida’s economic relationship with Colombia will continue to grow and benefit Florida families. Florida has an ideal location to trade with Latin America and beyond. We are committed to growing jobs for Florida families, and missions to international markets help us build relationships across the globe to create new jobs and opportunities in the Sunshine State.”

During the trade mission, twenty-eight companies participated in one-to-one business matchmaker meetings coordinated by Enterprise Florida and U.S. Commercial Service in Bogotá, where participants met with Colombian companies to expand business opportunities in the Sunshine State. Colombia is Florida’s second largest trading partner, with more than $9 billion in bilateral trade. Florida also accounts for one-fourth of the total U.S. trade with Colombia, and 37 percent of U.S. exports to Colombia move through Florida. Colombia is also among the top five world markets for Florida-made goods. International trade and foreign investment combined are responsible for more than 1.4 million Florida jobs, or about 17.3 percent of the state’s employment.

“Because Florida is the gateway to business in Latin America, we’re in a uniquely competitive position for accessing new opportunities in nations like Colombia,” said Enterprise Florida President & CEO Gray Swoope. “Sustaining and strengthening Florida’s global economic connections is vital to continuous diversification of the state’s economy and achieving overall prosperity. Governor Scott understands the importance of international trade and development in our state and the direct link to jobs growth.”

Manny Mencía, senior vice president of Enterprise Florida’s International Trade Division said, “Florida’s trade relationship with Latin America is critical to continued jobs creation in our state and Colombia is obviously a huge part of that relationship. These connections made between companies will be mutually beneficial for many years.”

Bill Johnson, director of PortMiami said, “I have participated in a number of Enterprise Florida trade missions. These missions are critical in promoting two-way trade by fostering open communications between key players in important markets, such as Latin American nations.”

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Calls for $2,500 Teacher Pay Raise and Eliminating Sales Tax on Manufacturing Equipment

Governor Rick Scott today unveiled his Florida Families First Budget for fiscal year 2013-2014.  Governor Scott’s Florida Families First Budget includes $18.47 billion in total funding for K-12 education, an increase of $1.25 billion over last year’s budget, which also invested 1 billion in K-12 education.  Governor Scott’s proposed budget also supports the elimination of tax barriers on manufacturers who buy equipment, which will help build up Florida’s manufacturing sector and create more jobs.
Governor Scott said, “My message is simple – everything we do in government must be focused on helping families pursue their dreams by getting a great job and accessing a quality education.

“Over the last two years, we made the tough choices to get our economy back on track. Through cost-savings efforts, we were able to cut taxes and eliminate regulations on businesses to help them succeed and create more jobs. As a result of our work over the last two years, we have created an environment where Florida’s private sector was able to create thousands of jobs.  We have also had the second largest drop in our unemployment rate in the nation. The Sunshine State is now among the best states in the country for our drop in our unemployment rate. Florida’s economy is back on track.

“My Florida Families First 2013-2014 Recommended Budget includes an increase of $1.25 billion, or 7.3 percent, for K-12 public schools. This increase represents per student funding of $6,800, an increase of more than $400, or around 6.5 percent, over the current fiscal year. State funding for K-12 education totals $10.7 billion – the highest state funding level in history.  Included in this historic total is $480 million to support $2,500 pay raises for Florida’s K-12 classroom teachers, plus the cost of associated benefits.

“Additionally, my budget focuses on building up our state’s manufacturing sector by eliminating the sales tax on manufacturers who buy equipment.

“I am proud of what we have accomplished already in the areas of jobs and education, but there is more work left to do. As long as even one Florida family is still struggling to find work or access a great education, our work is not done. This year, we will build on our successes through targeted investments that put Florida Families First.”

The Florida Families First Budget highlights are available HERE.

The Florida Families First Budget FAQ is available HERE.

The Florida Families First Budget prepared remarks by Governor Scott are available HERE.

The full The Florida Families First Budget is available HERE.