2011 State of the City Speech

March 10, 2011
City Hall
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Thank you Aida for that wonderful introduction.

Residents like you are the reason I go to work every day confident that our city can and will accomplish great things. In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that I was in your shoes… a homeowner who thought volunteering his time and energy could help make his neighborhood and city a better place.

18 years later, the hard working men and women of Orlando have given me the privilege of fighting for them every single day as a State Senator and now as your Mayor.

When I look at my two sons, I am reminded that every decision we make as elected office holders shapes the daily lives and future of all our children.

I want our residents to know I am working for their families just as hard as I work for my own.

When your family succeeds… it helps our city succeed.

This morning, surrounded by residents, elected leaders and partners from the business and civic communities, I have the distinct honor of updating you on the state of our City once again.

Before we begin, I want to give a special “shout out” to some of our future leaders watching from the Nap Ford Community School, Passport Charter School, Lake Eola Charter School, Davinci Charter High School and the Central Florida Leadership Academy.

I want all of our young people to know that if they work hard, study hard and play by the rules… this City will be a place where they can accomplish anything they set out to do.

I also want to give a special hello to our seniors who are holding watch parties at two community centers.

For others watching on TV or the web… thank-you for participating in your government.

I want to briefly recognize some of the partners who are here with us.

Please stand when I call your name:

• Orlando’s City Commissioners. Thank you for your willingness to work together to serve our residents.
• Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. Our Orange County Commissioners. Mayor Jacobs, Commissioners, the partnership between the City and County has benefited the residents of our entire region. I am looking forward to our continued collaboration.
• All our elected leaders… and partners from our economic development, civic and transportation sectors: The Metro Orlando EDC, The Central Florida Partnership, MetroPlan Orlando, LYNX and our hometown utility, OUC.
• The EDC’s new CEO Rick Weddle is here; please join me in welcoming him to our community.
• Our Academic and healthcare partners from UCF, Florida Hospital and Orlando Health and the Medical City at Lake Nona.
• Of course, my wife Karen is here. Thank you for your support… and all you do for our family.

Introduction

For the last few years we have considered the state of our City under the ominous clouds of recession. In that climate, our community worked like never before to withstand the worst financial crisis since the great depression.

Together, we’ve fought to preserve and create jobs. We’ve made our neighborhoods safer by reducing crime by record levels. We’ve cut taxes… keeping money in residents’ pockets when they need it the most. We’ve also made it easier for businesses to operate.

Despite our progress; it’s clear much work remains. When I talk to residents… I hear too many stories of people who want to work… but still can’t find a good job. My heart breaks when I see children in need because of this economy. Hearing economists say the recession is ending offers many of these families no comfort.

As the storm clouds begin to part, I want these families to know our community is working relentlessly to help them make it through tough times. I want them to know we are fighting to make sure better days are ahead.

Because of the hard work of so many people; the state of our City remains strong.

No City in America is better positioned to come out of recession faster and stronger.

No City in America is better prepared to own the new century.

Orlando: Leading the Way

Now, that’s not exaggeration. That’s reality.

When Americans are asked if they would like to live in another City, one out of every three say Orlando. Our City Beautiful is the least expensive place in the entire nation to launch a new business. Violent crime is down by record levels, making us one of the safest cities in Florida. Most important, Orlando is predicted to lead Florida in job creation.

All the pieces are in place. But, that brighter future is not a foregone conclusion. We have to create it for ourselves. To do so we must continue to shrink government while protecting the long-term prospects for job creation and the diversification of our economy.

Our ongoing plan is simple:

• Help lay the foundation for the private sector to create jobs and opportunity for our residents.
• Keep our neighborhoods and families safe.
• Continue to deliver more efficient government and the best City services around.

Creating Jobs and Opportunity

Now, transforming our economy into a 21st century job creation engine was a priority long before the great recession.Tough times have only emphasized the need for new industries. The good news is we lead every major City in Florida when it comes to forecasted job creation and personal income growth. By the end of 2012, the Medical City at Lake Nona will have most of its facilities open for business. This one-of-a-kind healthcare cluster will employ 30-thousand people with an 8 billion dollar annual economic impact.

There is much excitement about transforming the old Amway Arena site into a new neighborhood that will be home to 5-thousand new, permanent high tech jobs. Imagine going to school in a field like video game production… then getting a good job at a tech company only steps away in a neighborhood you call home. That’s the vision for our Creative Village. Through federal funding, we will begin transforming the site into a live, work, learn and play industry cluster later this year.

Critical to creating jobs and opportunity for our residents… is expanding public transit. For every dollar we spend on transportation… we see 6 dollars in return to our local economy.

While we’re disappointed with our Governor’s decision to reject High Speed Rail… we remain hopeful there may be a way in the future to connect Orlando to our nation’s bullet train network. In the meantime, we’re focused on breaking ground on Central Florida’s first commuter rail line called SunRail later this year… with service beginning in 2013.

No project in our region will have the power to impact people’s daily lives the way SunRail will. SunRail will provide a desperately-needed alternative to clogged roadways and rising gas prices. SunRail will create 113-thousand jobs and billions in economic impact. Even if you never set foot on this train, SunRail will make Central Florida a better place.

We know that Government cannot end a national recession. But, it can play a role in helping residents and businesses make it through difficult times. That was the idea behind Strengthen Orlando, launched in 2009.

We looked ahead several years at what public works projects were being planned, everything from sidewalk improvements to streetscapes. We expedited 182 million dollars worth of these projects to generate 900 jobs.

We knew small businesses were critical to creating jobs. So, we gave these neighborhood businesses their own “concierge” at City Hall and launched a main street program. Last year, our five neighborhood Main Street districts helped create nearly 600 jobs and 103 new businesses. We also encouraged residents to spend money at local businesses through our Buy Local Orlando program.

One aspect of the effort to put people to work that doesn’t always get attention is our kids. After school care, summer youth programs and free or reduced lunches keeps money in parents’ pockets and often allows them to keep a job or take extra shifts at work. This care can be the difference between work and unemployment. That’s why we have worked to provide these services free of charge to thousands of families through our Families Parks and Recreation Department, the Parramore Kidz Zone and After School All Stars.

As our economic picture changes… so do the needs of our community. In the next phase of Strengthen Orlando, we’re suspending transportation impact fees on existing buildings to encourage small business to re-activate dormant property.

We are re-launching our business assistance program, offering small grants to businesses. A few thousand dollars per business may not seem like much in the scheme of things, but often this funding is the difference that allows a small business to open its doors and begin hiring. We are also extending our agreement with UCF to allow our City’s business incubator to keep providing support for our entrepreneurs.

Above all, if there’s something that’s putting people to work in our City, we’re going to make every effort to keep it afloat and see that it helps more people. To that end we’ve committed to funding an additional 5 years for our Main Street Districts.

The Amway Center’s construction put 3000 people to work…and helped another 940 get other non-construction jobs. We are now home to the best sports and entertainment venue in the world. The Amway Center is also helping to revitalize Church Street and is a big reason 142 new businesses opened downtown in the last year.

It’s no secret the recession has hurt plans to refurbish the Citrus Bowl and build a performing arts center. No matter what the state of the economy… creating “once-in-a-generation” projects is never easy. We have worked through the challenges that exist on the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts to move toward groundbreaking. I am proud to have stood with Mayor Jacobs as we announced a shared plan to build this facility within budget and with the highest degree of transparency and oversight.

Many residents have expressed concern that our ailing tourist tax has left the full Citrus Bowl renovation in limbo. The Citrus Bowl is a vital part of our community. As our economy recovers; we will do everything possible to see that it gets the upgrade it deserves so we can retain our bowl games and compete for new events that bring fans and dollars into our City. Keeping our City safe

Keeping our City safe will always be our most important mission. Because of our hard work, crime is down dramatically for the third year in a row. Since 2007, violent crime in Orlando has been cut by more than 40 percent. We’ve also increased the number of solved crimes by 42 percent.

Our investment in police technology made it easier for citizens to report and track crime. We took more than a thousand crime guns off the street last year. We prevented criminals from using apartments as a headquarters for illegal activity, giving landlords the power to evict those who choose to break the law.

IRIS Cameras are protecting Parramore, downtown and the I-Drive corridor. They’ve helped officers intercede in more than 400 crimes. Today, residents of MetroWest will begin benefitting from these safety cameras.

Technology is important, but it can’t replace what the men and women of OPD do every day. They keep us safe… and then coach little league, serve on the PTA or volunteer at church. OPD’s Officer of the Year, Carmen Dunlap, is a shining example of this dedication. Officer Dunlap took 50 felons off the street, cracked a string of burglaries in College Park and solved numerous other crimes. To understand her contribution you need only talk to residents and her peers. When a crime, regrettably, occurs in her sector, the first thought is, “When will Carmen catch them?” Officer Dunlap, Chief Demings, and all the men and women of OPD… thank you for your service to our residents.

This commitment to excellence extends to our Fire Department. OFD remains in the top one tenth of one percent of fire departments in the entire nation.

There was a chance we could have lost that level of protection. We worked to secure funding to keep 46 firefighters on the job... and made sure our department remained the “best of the best.”

OFD wasn’t content to stand still. The Department increased the number of lives saved in the past year. This increase happened because of the performance of emergency call takers and dispatchers who received the highest level of accreditation for their work.

Members of our call and dispatch team are with us today. Dispatchers are the first line in the emergency services chain, rarely seen by the public. Please stand, we want everyone to see you… and we salute you. Chief Miller, and all the men and women of OFD, thank you.

Delivering More Efficient Government

There’s been a lot of talk about the role of government in our lives. In Orlando, we’ve always believed our mission is pretty straightforward:

• Keep you safe.
• Pick up your trash.
• Provide clean water and other essential health and safety functions.
• Bring people together to create shared plans for our community to grow and evolve.
• Help lay the foundation for residents and businesses to chart their own individual courses for success.
• Show where, how and why your tax dollars are being spent.

This work isn’t always exciting. But, these services are the foundation for our lives. I want our residents to be proud that they live in a well-run city that strives to deliver more efficient government day after day.

In the last 8 years we have eliminated more than 400 positions and reduced the size of government with the only new spending going toward police and fire protection.

When the recession took away a large portion of City revenue, we reduced our spending dramatically, just like the families in our city have done. Because of this we are one of only 179 city or county governments in the entire country to have a triple-A credit rating.

The pension reform issues that are creating problems across the country have already been addressed in our City government. Orlando employees contribute to their retirement; much like the private sector, and our program is a model for other governments.

We have also fought tax increases. Orlando residents have a lower property tax rate than every other major city in Florida. Our residents have a lower tax rate than they did two decades ago. Today, I am announcing that we are going to hold the line on taxes once again. Keeping money in the wallets of our citizens remains critical to our recovery. It’s also the right thing to do.

Protecting our environment is the right thing to do as well. In just a few years, Orlando has become a leader in the area of sustainability.

Our green commitment is also saving our government… and our residents… real money. By the end of this year, our City government will save 1.7 million dollars annually in energy costs.

We’ve also been able to help over a thousand residents save an average of 180 dollars a year on their power bills through our joint energy retrofit program with OUC.

Orlando is also leading the way when it comes to offering residents and visitors the ability to use money-saving electric vehicles. Through public-private partnerships… we’ll be home to more than 300 charging stations by the end of the year, as many as any city in the southeast.

Beginning in a few months, Orlando will offer residents single-cart recycling. Say goodbye to separating items into red and blue bins. You can now put all of them into one, big cart. The move will save tax dollars and make it easier for people to recycle.

These efforts are important, but we know volunteers like Aida Gonzalez are the most powerful force there is to make our City a better place. Aida, we want more residents like you in action.

To make that a reality, Orlando has been selected as one of 20 cities nationwide to launch a “Cities of Service” program. This groundbreaking initiative will engage thousands of people in our community as volunteers to bolster youth education and prevent youth crime.

Closing

You know, I give a lot of speeches in my role as Mayor. But, speeches aren’t always the best setting to talk about what’s going on in the lives of our residents.

When I’m outside of City Hall… coaching a youth baseball game or shopping at Publix… I get the chance to talk to people about their concerns and the future they want for their families. This is by far my favorite part of the job. I want to bring that experience to State of the City today.

In a moment, I’m going to step away from the podium and we’re going to have a conversation. We’ve asked our residents what’s most important to them. Many have submitted questions ahead of time. We’ll also talk to folks in this room.

First, I want to close my formal remarks with the answer to one of the questions I’m most often asked.

“Buddy, what’s the biggest challenge facing our City?”

My response is always… the biggest challenge we’re facing is always changing. But, the key to overcoming all of these challenges is constant.

That is partnership.

Collaboration is the driving force behind every success we’ve had in the last few years.

It sounds simple, but it doesn’t happen everywhere.

Washington has become paralyzed by divisiveness. While similar conflicts exist here, we flat-out refuse to get bogged down by politics or petty jurisdictional differences that would divide us.

We have chosen, instead, to spend our energy building consensus and working together. Our residents expect and deserve no less.

As we searched for a way to express this ideal, I was reminded of a three-word lesson taught on youth playing fields right here in our community.

Together… We Will…

What exactly does it mean?

Well, it reminds us all that whatever our goal is… accomplishing that goal must begin with partnership.

How are we going help our neighbors make it through difficult times?

Together …We Will…

How will we create new careers and new industries for our residents?

Together… We Will…

How will we keep our neighborhoods safe?

Together… We Will….

And, how will we ensure that Orlando is the best place anywhere to live, work, learn and raise a family?

Together… We Will…

Thank you.

God Bless America.

And, God Bless the City of Orlando.