Page 10 - Boca Exposure - July '22

Page 10, Boca Exposure
Mayor’s Update:

Making Boca Raton The Best Place To Do Business

Scott Singer is the 35th has an unparalleled quality of life. We have the finest for the new public school and Brightline, it took hustle to
Mayor of Boca Raton. A public safety professionals and safe neighborhoods, work with stakeholders, overcome challenges, and complete
South Florida native, with crime rates continuing to drop, even as other cities complex plans on tight timelines. I’ve been fortunate to
attorney, mediator, and small see increases in crime. We have strong partnerships work with my colleagues on these successes, which were
business owner, Scott and with our community institutions, such as our school unprecedented a few years ago. We want to bring that
his wife Bella live in Broken district, as we near completion of a brand-new Blue Lake certainty to attract the new set of great companies or to
Sound with their two young Elementary School, which will open on Aug. 10. We provide opportunities for investment in community facilities,
children. have lush and abundant green space, including 47 parks, including some of the proposals for culture and recreation
Like many strong with the new Wildflower Park due to open in the fall to coming from nonprofit entities.
organizations, the City increase our total, along with pristine beaches. We invest - We will address the infrastructure needs of businesses.
of Boca Raton regularly in infrastructure, with hundreds of millions in ongoing We already have the municipal infrastructure to more than
reviews and sets long- infrastructure improvements, all without a tax increase. support our city, and we are working at partnerships to
term goals as part of a strategic planning process. Last And speaking of taxes, we have one of the lowest tax grow the talent base and build on the burgeoning high-tech
month, the city held its 2022 planning sessions when the rates of any full-service city in south Florida, which ecosystem in Boca Raton. We have launched an Innovation
mayor and City Council, senior management, department helps maintain our property values. Indeed, Boca Raton Office, partnered with businesses incubators and accelerators,
heads and the public all weighed in on key goal areas. has the highest property valuation of any city in Palm and debuted the Endeavor Lab project to provide training,
One common theme that resonated was ensuring that we Beach County, and the tax base grew by an impressive mentorship, and connectivity to local start-ups.
capture the unprecedented economic opportunities facing 13 percent this year. - We will fill any gaps in our quality of life and build
our city. The City Council set as one of its high priority Adding to all these wonderful attributes is the business on our existing strengths. This will require a thorough and
goals establishing Boca Raton as the best place to do presence of a much larger city. In business, we punch candid look of why businesses might prefer other places.
business. Let’s dive into more of what that means. above our weight class, as Boca Raton is home to more Are there amenities for offices – like vibrant walkable
First, we residents already know that Boca Raton than half of the corporate headquarters in all of Palm areas – that site selectors would favor? Can we offer
Beach County. Since the pandemic began, we’ve seen new construction opportunities for contemporary Class
even more corporations decide to make Boca Raton A offices, and does our zoning code need to be reviewed
Fuller Center from page 8 their home and professionals from all levels and in for what it will take for the next generation of companies
varied industries choosing to work here, especially with and professionals?
Almost all Fuller Center working parents – 92 percent – telecommuting increasing. The flight from high taxes, As you can imagine, we will not complete all these
serve as essential or frontline workers, working in hospitals, high rents and crowded cities has created an inflection initiatives in the coming year, but we plan to make
retail outlets, restaurants, and hotels. They are our bus point where companies are flocking to south Florida. Boca substantial headway as part of a multi-year effort. The
drivers, store clerks and cashiers, farmworkers, delivery Raton is getting our share, and the coming Brightline next few years, as we approach our centennial in 2025,
drivers, security guards, bank tellers, office workers, high-speed rail station continues to be seen as a game can lead the way to a new century for Boca Raton, and
healthcare workers, and home health aides, hospital changer for our city and ability to attract businesses. success that will continue to make Boca Raton the best
orderlies and cafeteria workers, and childcare and eldercare Even with all these strengths, we will not rest on our place to live, work, learn and play.
workers. laurels. We realize that the landscape in south Florida We are fortunate that, with our safe and successful
Our programs help empower children to start school is more competitive, with many companies looking for city, our priorities are all focused on positives and
prepared, succeed academically, and break the generational the first ticket out of their failing cities. That is why we enhancements. Issues like failing infrastructure and
cycle of poverty through quality early childhood education, are setting the ambitious goal to ensure that Boca Raton dying industry that some cities face are fortunately not
after-school and summer camp programs, our new private becomes renowned as the best place to do business. Here issues in Boca Raton, because of the type of long-term
elementary school and teen leadership programs, and are some of the initiatives that underlie this lofty goal: planning at our core mission. We can feel grateful to
comprehensive, family-centered support services. They also - We will improve the perception of doing business live in an outstanding community with nearly 2,000 city
empower parents who are essential to keeping our local in Boca Raton. We’ve already completed 14 substantial employees serving with excellence. I am running in the
economy open and who provide the vital services we all streamlining efforts to our complex land development upcoming March 2023 mayoral election to help see more
count on. code, and were one of the first cities to implement of these goals to completion, including ensuring a thriving
The Fuller Center also offers mentoring programs electronic permitting and plan review. This has economic base so that my children and all youth in Boca
and adult on-the-job training, coaching, and employment substantially lowered time for permits, but we will Raton will feel that they have the opportunity to find
support, and no-cost transportation from 12 area schools continue to work to improve our reality. That will help great careers in our city. I’d love to hear your thoughts
to our campus-based after-school programs. We serve more improve the perception. In addition, we are adding on what we can do together to reach our goals. Please
than 1,800 nutritious meals and snacks daily. concierge-style services for larger investments in our city. share your comments, by email at ssinger@myboca.us,
In addition, Fuller Center provides opportunities for - We will ensure predictability in our process and and stay connected for more news @ScottSingerUSA on
local colleges and universities to place undergraduate and timelines. When key moments arise, like the opportunities all social media platforms.
graduate students in internships and child development
practicums.
East Campus: 200 N.E. 14th Street, Boca Raton
West Campus: 10130 185th Street South, Boca Raton
Facebook: @fullercenterfl
Instagram: @fullercenterfl

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