Behind the scenes in Sarasota County government there has been a discussion taking place regarding our energy future. At one level there is questioned interest whether or not the community has an appetite to develop a broad, inclusive plan that is a long term strategy to make us more energy efficient. On the other hand there is a discussion as to whether a county economic development initiative should be established to attract alternative energy companies to Sarasota County. Based on a memo from Commissioner Staub on August 26, 2004 she points out that “getting in on the ground floor of the emerging hydrogen energy industry and to establish the county as a leader in the commercialization of hydrogen technology is the goal. At the same time I hope you concur that our economic development efforts to attract companies in the hydrogen as well as other alternative energy technologies is a wise move...even if it takes a decade or even longer for various technologies to become a primary energy source.”

Before I weigh-in on this issue, let us give recognition that our Commission and staff are thinking outside the box, as they transition to direct our community economic development initiative. The search for alternative fuel is a laudable goal, but the question to be asked, is whether or not this is a practical approach for our local economic development efforts?

Raymond Kaiser, consultant to Sarasota County, points out the problems with the attempt to predict the viability of alternative fuels. In a memo to County Staff on August 24, 2004, Mr. Kaiser points out that “the hydrogen conversation is quite complex and in a report from the National Academies’ National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council (2004) they pointed out that “in the best case scenario, the transition to a hydrogen economy would take many decades, and any reductions in oil imports and carbon dioxide emissions are likely to be minor during the next 25 Years.” So what would Mr. Kaiser recommend Sarasota County do? “Our best near term strategy is to focus on demand since it will stretch supplies until alternatives mature—integrate land use and transportation planning, move to most-efficient vehicles in each class, create walkable communities, install off-the shelf efficient lighting, cooling and heating technologies, install dehumidifiers in buildings to reduce electrical demand for air conditioning, etc.”

As a by-stander to this debate it has clearly established for me the focus necessary for economic development for this community. As nice as it might be to think that our area might become the next birthplace of an emerging technology, it really is our job to concern ourselves with the economic sustainability of those who are living here now. In order to do that we do not have the luxury to speculate but instead must evaluate our core strengths in moving our community forward by attracting partners who provide us with a synergy that recognizes an immediate improvement in the quality of lives of all members of our community. Mr. Kaiser’s cited examples in energy conservation are excellent but what about other opportunities that are present to improve our community based upon our existing strengths? In tourism we have debated forever the need for a conference facility yet have done nothing. Visions of a high tech conferencing location that could attract a high caliber up-scale visitor have been discussed for years, and yet we have never followed through to build on our existing tourism base.

Despite the fact that we have one of the largest populations in the country over the age of 65, we have never worked to establish a national center of gerontology where focus could be given to the needs of our aging population. We have the best demographic profile in the nation to attract business that wants to develop products and programs to improve the lives of people living longer. Our Senior Friendship Centers is just one example of a national model that could be exported to other communities around the world. On the other hand, The Ringling School of Art graduates are sought by companies around the country in graphic arts and animation, but what have we done to attract those businesses here?

In short we don’t have to use our economic development resources to attract speculative ventures for us to enjoy an exciting future of economic growth. We only need to look around our community, focus on our existing businesses, people and resources, in order to make us even better than we are today. Let’s keep our attention at home!

A latest angst in our neck of the woods has been the lamentation that unless government somehow intervenes with new regulations like inclusionary zoning, starts a community land trust, or institutes other affordable housing programs that the American Dream of home ownership is about to come to an end. We have a problem of not having enough affordable housing stock in Sarasota County due to a lack of available density and appropriately zoned land. The truth is that home ownership in this country has never been healthier. Home ownership is on track to reach a record high 70 percent of all households sometime next year, thanks to low interest rates. According to Peter Francese, founder of American Demographics, “The rate of both first and second homeownership is likely to keep rising over the next five to ten years for a couple of reasons. Home sales have become an extraordinarily important engine of economic growth: virtually every home sale creates income for one or more realtors, lenders, lawyers, insurance companies, contractors, and others. But the second reason is that the highest rate of homeownership — over 82 percent — is among householders age 55 to 74, the age cohort where the highest rate of household growth is occurring.” Yes, we can solve our problem of affordable housing by facing the truth that somehow an “urban service boundary” that restricts development to large lots, does not stop growth, but instead restricts the supply of land, ultimately causing a lack of affordable development. If this is not the case, then why are so many Sarasota workers buying homes in Manatee and Charlotte Counties?