Lenny Curry: Jacksonville experiencing ‘major economic boom’

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry

In one of a series of appearances on Fox News since Jacksonville landed the main event for the 2020 Republican National Convention, Mayor Lenny Curry said the city was experiencing a “major economic boom.”

This contravenes messaging from March, in which the Mayor predicted “tough budgets” and said to “plan as if the economic pain is going to last for a while.”

The “boom” quote came at the end of an interview on Fox and Friends, in which Curry was discussing a television personality buying an old firehouse in the city for commercial redevelopment.

Curry said Jacksonville is “the place to be” in America, noting that the city has “major economic boom development happening that started before the pandemic.”

The Mayor added that “people are ready to get moving,” suggesting that the river is now deep enough after dredging to bring “super yachts” in, further evidence that the city is “on the move.”

While super yachts would indeed be a welcome development for those who believe a regular yacht is not enough, the comments come after a stretch of unprecedented government intervention in the local economy, made necessary by an economic recession accelerated by government shutdown of the free-market economy this spring.

While the super yacht set may have been insulated, governmental actions pointed to the reality of the economic dislocation for the backbone of the local labor force and small businesses, many operating on slim margins even before March.

The city allocated $159 million, facilitated by federal funds earmarked for coronavirus relief, including $40 million for citizens to help with mortgage and rent payments, $9 million for smalll business relief, and $25 million earmarked to offset revenue declines, including inspection fees and taxes on rent.

Another $20 million went to companies managing city facilities, such as those being used for the Republican National Convention.

The local unemployment rate was at historic lows through the end of the year, but since January has been on the rise.

While the economic restrictions imposed in March certainly accelerated the deterioration in the job market, an 11.6% official unemployment rate contravenes the boom messaging, especially given the difficulties many have had in getting reemployment assistance from the state.

Curry’s initial push for the Republican National Convention was framed as an economic shot in the arm for a limping economy, and his ballpark estimate is “an economic impact of more than $100 million to our city.”

When talking to local media Friday morning, the Mayor reiterated that costs for the event itself would be defrayed by a combination of private donations and federal reimbursement.

“With a convention, there is significant funding that comes from the federal government,” Curry added, with “federal and state partners,” law enforcement from other counties, and “additional resources in the city subsidized by federal government.”

The Mayor was light on the specifics about disbursement, but said “every single interaction” he’s had with the feds, “the dollars come in.”

The city has cash on hand to float if reimbursement was delayed, he said.