April 2012 Orange County Connect - New Orange County Government website launching in April

April 2012

Dear Neighbor,

As you may know, the Florida Legislature recently concluded their legislative session. One issue with potentially costly ramifications is the legislation containing changes to the Medicaid billing system.

The new law potentially puts Orange County taxpayers on the hook for a decade's worth of inaccurate past billings from the state and does little to ensure these problems are corrected in the future. The possible impact of inaccurate back-billing alone could result in a $23 million cost to Orange County taxpayers.

I met with Governor Scott to discuss the impact to local taxpayers as well as highlight the shortfalls of the States' billing system. Governor Scott has acknowledged the concerns and has pledged that the Agency for Health Care Administration and his staff will "work diligently" to ensure that amounts charged to counties are "accurate and valid."

A second issue that initially passed in the Florida House would have eliminated the only elected official serving on the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) board. However, the Florida Senate protected the interests of toll payers by removing language that would have eliminated Orange County's Mayor, from the OOCEA board.

Under the leadership of Florida's Senate Majority Leader and future Senate President Andy Gardiner, and with the support of Senator Thad Altman and Senator David Simmons, the Senate ensured that Orange County citizens will continue to have a direct voice on the OOCEA board.

In this issue of the Orange County Connect, I focus on some important international economic development activities and public engagement initiatives. I also discuss advancements in regional transportation, milestones regarding our new website and how to connect with me through my new social media platforms.

As always, I thank you for your continued support and for staying connected with your government.

Sincerely,

Teresa Jacobs

Orange County Mayor

New redesigned Orange County Government website launching in late April

Our technical team is in the final stages of configuring Orange County's new website, which is designed to better serve our visitors, as well as the citizens and businesses who call Orange County home.

The website contains a variety of new features and improvements, including easy navigation, a powerful new search engine, social networking interfaces and extensive information regarding open government, public engagement, public works and legislative issues.

Our revamped home page captures the county's vibrant cultural landscape and presents information in a more straightforward manner, making online navigation more user-friendly. My administration is committed to keeping critical content sections timely and logically formatted for our website visitors.

Positioning Orange County as the nation's best destination to work, play, raise a family and do business is a key component of our economic strategy. I am proud to have this website as our online ambassador representing Orange County.

I wish to thank Orange County staff for their hard work in successfully bringing this significant project to Orange County's residents and visitors.

Connect with me instantly by joining my social media networks

Social media has substantially changed the way we communicate and plays an increasing role in how the public interacts with elected officials and engages with their local government. My administration and I are keenly aware of prevalent themes in Orange County's social media conversations.

With that, I invite you to connect with me through my new social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

On Facebook, you can find me by searching Orange County Mayor, or click here. On Twitter, my handle (name) is Mayor_Jacobs. I often use hashtags #OrangeCounty and #Orlando in my tweets. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel by searching for MayorTeresaJacobs.

By connecting to my social networking platforms, we can interact instantly and share timely ideas about Orange County. I look forward to starting an interactive online dialogue with you today.

Fifth Annual United Way Women's Leadership Luncheon inspires Central Florida attendees

Entrepreneur Kathy Ireland and I spoke at the United Way event.
Photo courtesy of MacbethPhoto.com.

It was a pleasure speaking at the Fifth Annual United Way Women's Leadership Luncheon. Supermodel and entrepreneur Kathy Ireland gave an inspirational speech about her life and the importance of leadership.

Attended by 800 women from the Central Florida region, the event was organized by the United Way Women's Leadership Council, which works to raise awareness and funding to address problems that disproportionately affect women and children.

There are many opportunities to get involved with the Heart of Florida United Way to help others in need within our community. I encourage you to visit their website, http://www.hfuw.org/.

I wish to thank all of our partners and our county employees for their generous support of United Way and its mission.

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Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority green lights Wekiva Parkway

The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) voted unanimously to work with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to finalize the 25-mile Wekiva Parkway, completing a much-needed beltway around the greater Orlando area. OOCEA and FDOT have agreed to share the costs associated with building the new road.

I'm thrilled to report that my goal of making sure Orange County taxpayers did not bear the brunt of funding this new road was accomplished. FDOT and the Florida's Turnpike agreed to contribute more than $850 million, while our Expressway Authority will pay about $530 million towards the portions of the road within Orange County.

The Wekiva Parkway project creates a new toll-funded road through Orange, Seminole and Lake Counties, along with miles of other road improvements. Further, the project will preserve environmental corridors that support native habitat in the area. Under the agreement, the Wekiva Parkway project will be divided into eight sections. The FDOT will build six sections, mainly located in Lake and Seminole counties, as well as a small area in Orange County. OOCEA will build two sections, located primarily in Orange County.

Construction on the Wekiva Parkway is anticipated to begin later this year and is projected to be complete by 2021.

The leadership and guidance of FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad was instrumental in bringing this historic roadway to Central Florida, and I certainly want to thank the OOCEA board for their efforts on this monumental parkway. It will provide greater connectivity to State Road 417 and the I-4 corridors, and will give Central Floridians and our visitors another choice for commuting.

Orange County's second Global Trade Series on Brazil a great success

Left to right: Commissioner John Martinez, Silas Pinto, Daniela Pulcini, Nelson Freitas, Rosanna Almeida, Marcio Silva, Amy Litter, Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Joao Marcos Pires, Janaina Brilhante, Paulo Souza andLaiz Rodrigues at the National Entrepreneur Center.

There was phenomenal turnout and synergy at Orange County's second seminar focusing on economic development and global trade between Latin America and Central Florida. "Brazil: A World of Opportunities" was held at the National Entrepreneur Center on March 23, 2012.

Presented by the Central Florida Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce and attended by almost 250 delegates and representatives from our region's Brazilian business community, the seminar focused on lessons learned during last year's Team Florida trade mission to São Paulo with Governor Rick Scott. Panelists at the seminar discussed Brazil's economy, business opportunities and marketing strategies, targeting the large number of Brazilian tourists who visit Central Florida every day.

Fogo De Chão, which opened its high-end Brazilian steakhouse on International Drive last month, and Apas Corp. sponsored the event.

The first Orange County Global Trade Series, "Doing Business with Colombia," highlighted the advantages of making investments and trading with Colombia.

The next seminar, "Doing Business with Puerto Rico," will be held on Friday, April 20, 2012 at the National Entrepreneur Center.

Orange County employees give back through
Project Homeless Connect

Spending time with Orange County volunteers at Project Homeless Connect.

I wish to thank all of our Orange County employees who volunteered at Project Homeless Connect, providing more than 50 critically needed services to the homeless.

Held at First Baptist Church of Orlando on March 23, 2012, the event was organized by the nonprofit Homeless Services Network, the lead agency for outreach and homeless services in Central Florida. More than 1,000 people were served at the outreach event.

Mears Transportation provided transportation to and from the church from several points in Central Florida.

I thank all of our partners for supporting Project Homeless Connect and its mission.

News Worth Noting ...

Orange County participated in National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

A global credit ratings agency has confirmed the financial strength of Orange County Government by awarding the highest possible score. Fitch Ratings announced a "AAA" credit rating for general obligation debts for Orange County. Additionally, Fitch awarded the County with "AA+" and "AA-" ratings for sales tax, capital improvement, public service tax and tourist development tax revenue bonds.
To raise awareness about colon cancer and celebrate our region's survivors, Orange County Government participated in National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month by wearing blue on Friday, March 2, 2012. Colon cancer is often beatable when detected early, yet it is still the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. I urge you to get informed and involved in the fight against this terrible disease.
I enjoyed a hearty pancake breakfast with The Tangerine Improvement Society in March. The organization was founded over 100 years ago, on April 3, 1909, for the general improvement of the Town of Tangerine.
Citing Orange County's Medical City in Lake Nona, Orange County's City of Orlando was ranked one of the top five cities nationwide in which to find an IT job, according to technology staffing firm Modis.
I enjoyed speaking about the importance of arts in education at the Transforming Education for the 21st Century symposium at Edgewater High School.
Orlando topped the Hotwire 2012 Travel Value Index Study of "Best U.S. Destinations for Your Vacation Dollar." The region took first place in the study after maintaining its presence on the index for the last four years.
According to a new report by job search engine SimplyHired.com, the Metro Orlando area had the third largest job growth of the 50 top metro nationwide areas.
Located in Bithlo, Orange County's newest Community Health Centers, which offers a variety of family services, enjoyed a great turnout at its recent community open house. I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all of our Bithlo residents for engaging with Orange County staff and for participating in the event.
The Girl Scouts of Citrus Council visited me in March in honor of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts. Our Board of County Commissioners also recognized and honored Girl Scouts at its March 6, 2012 meeting.
The University of Central Florida made The Princeton Review's list as one of the nation's top 10 graduate programs for video game design. Full Sail University also made the list of honorable mentions in both undergraduate and graduate studies.
Orlando was ranked this year's number one destination for Spring Break, according to online travel company Orbitz Worldwide.
Howard Britt, president of Premiere Beauty Show Group, signed a four-year contract to keep one of the fastest growing trade shows in Orange County. The Orange County Convention Center and Visit Orlando teams worked together to secure the contract. Premiere Beauty Show's 53,000 attendees are expected to have an economic impact of $91 million in our community.

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