Economic Development

Ensuring sound financial stewardship

• Ended the practice of raiding utility funds to pay for general operating expenses, ensuring the money is now allocated towards addressing the city's aging infrastructure.
  
  
  
  
• Maintained the city's tax rate unchanged for 17 consecutive years.
• Worked with national financial rating analysts to raise the city bond rating to AAA, the highest possible rating and something that ensures the lowest cost possible of borrowing money to pay for critical city projects.
• Negotiated fiscally responsible contracts with city unions, including the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Fire Fighters.
  
  
  
  
• Utilized public-private partnerships as a way to undertake major projects while saving both time and money for taxpayers.

Encouraging business growth and economic development

• Backed a reconstruction of the Las Olas Marina to allow more boats and larger yachts to use the facility and to provide amenities that yachters seek.
• Collaborated on plans to ensure the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show could take place in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing strong health protocols.
  
  
  
  
• Secured a permanent home for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show by persuading developers to rework plans for the Bahia Mar site to reduce the number of residential units allowed and to focus more on it being a hub for yachting activity while also providing locals a waterfront promenade and Intracoastal park.
• Working with developers to build a full-service production studio complete with sound stages, movie sets, a backlot for location filming, and an accredited film school on a brownfield site.
• Supported sophistication of the tourism economy that has led high-end hotels like the Four Seasons, the Hyatt Centric, the Dalmar, and the Whitfield to locate here.
• Encouraged the redevelopment of downtown to where it is now one of the primary economic drivers in Broward County with an annual economic impact of $35 billion, up $6 billion since 2019.
• Worked with regional economic development officials to attract new business.
• Supported steps that have made the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport the busiest general aviation airport in the nation and place it at the top of Florida general aviation airports in its economic impact.
  
  
  
  
• Made the city a charter fellow of the Alan Levan Center for Innovation at Nova Southeastern University, a world-class tech incubator and accelerator working with both investors and talent.
• Created a high-tech startup incubator in Fort Lauderdale with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Energy.
  
  
  
  
• Promoted more business ties with Canada, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel.