EDC

Local Partnerships

• Enhance the public-private partnership between the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce and County and Municipal elected officials and staff.
• Strengthen the partnerships with the Northeast Florida Regional Airport Authority, St. Johns County Industrial Development Authority, Tourist Development Council and other partners to further the collective economic development efforts in the County.

State & Regional Partnerships

• Maximize the working partnerships with Enterprise Florida and the newly-created Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Agency for Workforce Innovation.
• Support continued participation in the regional economic development and marketing partnership with Cornerstone.

Economic Competitiveness

• Support the adoption of local fiscal policies which include considering and prioritizing the most cost-effective methods of service delivery and maintaining a balanced budget. 
• Encourage representatives of all taxing authorities in St. Johns County to thoughtfully consider household and business budgets while developing their governmental budgets, tax and fee revenue sources.
• Promote an increased awareness of the contribution of small businesses to the local economy and key factors influencing the success of business start-ups.
• Facilitate a comprehensive review of all existing rules, regulations, policies, practices and ordinances to evaluate the specific impact on new business development and existing business operations. (Regulatory Impact Assessment)
• Oppose, in principle, the promulgation of any new regulations which would create added cost or further burden business operations, to provide support to existing St. Johns County businesses and to specifically promote the relocation and expansion of businesses within St. Johns County by reducing the amount of time and risk associated with capital investment.
• Support regulatory reforms aimed at streamlining government processes.
• Support the creation of a County-controlled Incentive Fund to facilitate the extension of incentives, where appropriate, to attract new capital investment and jobs to St. Johns County.
• Promote an increased awareness of the specific economic impact of St. Johns County’s largest private-sector employers and strongly support initiatives to retain these companies and encourage local expansion.
• Support the prioritization of funding for local economic development initiatives.

Transportation

• Support the prioritization of local transportation funding for completion of State Road 9B and associated intersection improvements which will enhance St. Johns County’s economic competitiveness by facilitating the cost-effective transport of goods and services to and from key regional resources.

Tourism

• Support the prioritization of local funding and other efforts promoting St. Johns County’s multi-faceted tourism industry.

Agriculture

• Support local efforts aimed at promoting St. Johns County’s agricultural industry.

Education

• Support St. Johns County’s public and private educational institutions which enhance St. Johns County’s attractiveness to new businesses and foster a ready-to-work employment base.  

Public Safety

• Support continued strong partnerships between local law enforcement and the business community to protect local businesses against crime.

Quality of Life

• Facilitate communications between businesses and local government concerning government services of greatest value in creating and maintaining the quality of life standards that are attractive to the recruitment and expansion of businesses, within the context of advocating for a fiscally-responsible approach to service delivery.

The Local Advocacy Agenda will provide a guiding framework for the Chamber’s interaction with local government and advocacy on policy issues impacting St. Johns County businesses. 

Click here for a printable version of the Local Advocacy Agenda.