Valentino’s Economic Plan Out; Chamber’s Plan In

July 2, 2009

The competition over economic development plans in Escambia County is over, with a plan from the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce winning out over a plan by Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino.

The Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission listened for less than an hour to Valentino and Chamber Chairman Mort O’Sullivan as they detailed their plans. Valentino’s plan would have given the county more control over economic development; the chamber’s plan would leave economic development with the Pensacola Chamber and the private sector.

The PEDC members voted to express a clear preference for the Chamber plan and send it to the Century Town Council, Pensacola City Council and Escambia County Commission for a vote. The PEDC can only offer recommendations to the governmental entities; the group has no authority to actually put the plan in motion.

The PEDC members are Century Mayor Freddie McCall, County commissioners Kevin White and Valentino, Pensacola council members Sam Hall and Martin Deweese and businessmen Blaise Adams, Rhette Anderson, Collier Merrill and O’Sullivan.

The Chamber plan creates the Greater Pensacola Partnership, a new economic development organization. The PEDC recommended that the county and Pensacola use increases in utility franchise fees to fund economic incentives of at least $4 million per year. PEDC voted to ask the Century and Pensacola councils and the county commission to allow the board to recommend how that $4 million is allocated.

To read more about the Pensacola and Century chambers, click here.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News