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Economic development is a favorite topic of Coffee Talk but it still may not be all that exciting to the masses, even in a struggling economy. Nor is it entirely understood, judging from a recent forum on the subject.
Only three dozen people attended an April 14 public meeting seeking input from citizens and local leaders on the direction Hillsborough County should take in generating new jobs and industry. The county is working with Princeton, N.J.-based consultants Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co. on a study costing more than $100,000, with the tab being shared between the county, Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City.
Part of the problem with this meeting was that it was called on short notice, was not widely publicized (apart from a short article in The Tampa Tribune) and was held at the Florida State Fairgrounds because few other suitable meeting places were available.
But the bigger problem arose from suggestions by some of those in attendance. For example, one citizen suggested turning the county's glut of foreclosed homes over to the homeless. Another brought up the possibility of attracting the film industry to Tampa. (That actually was tried before, with dismal results. Remember “The Punisher” or “Cop and a Half”?)
There were a few bright ideas, such as leveraging the research capabilities of local universities, putting manufacturers in low-income urban neighborhoods, focusing on creative industries (as Orlando has done with video game production) and luring “green” jobs to Hillsborough County, particularly its often-overlooked south end.
Written comments are being accepted from Hillsborough residents through May 7 and additional forums are planned in upcoming weeks. This is the first major overhaul of the county's economic development strategy in almost 10 years.
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