JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Bringing more jobs to Jacksonville is an investment city leaders have spent more than $14 million of taxpayer dollars on since 2015.
Data shows the return on the investment is better than expected.
As of Oct. 2021, Jacksonville’s unemployment rate is 3.7%, which is below Florida – at 4.6% – and the nation – at 4.2%
Since Mayor Lenny Curry took office in Jul. 2015, data from the office of economic development shows, 12,179 new jobs have been created in Jacksonville. 1,459 of those jobs weren’t projected, and that doesn’t include all the data from the past two years.
So far, 21 projects to bring new jobs to the city have surpassed expectations.
In one extreme example, Amazon’s Rex Project brought 6,026 jobs instead of the 1,500 projected, which is four times more than expected.
“We're anticipating continued growth in Jacksonville," Kirk Wendland, the City of Jacksonville's Executive Director of Economic Development, said. "It is a very attractive location for businesses, particularly businesses now looking to locate out of the Northeast. We've been a very attractive location for them.“
Wendland says industries that have been drawn to Jacksonville range from financial services to distribution and advanced manufacturing.
He says a bill was introduced to city council this week that, if passed in January, would support the project to expand Johnson & Johnson Vision’s local manufacturing facility.
“They're a huge employer and continue to make significant capital investment," Wendland explained. "[Johnson & Johnson Vision is] looking at investing another $200 million in Jacksonville and add another 100 employees. So, that's one that would be a nice start to 2022.“