ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — In his fourth annual State of the County address, Mayor Jerry Demings focused on the ways Orange County is “investing boldly and going where we’ve never gone before.”

What You Need To Know

  • Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings made his fourth State of the County address

  • The county is "investing boldly" in growth and improving the community, Demings says

  • Demings focused on expansion of theme parks and new businesses moving to the area

  • The county is working on initiatives to improve transportation and housing concerns, he says

He conceded that the growth has exacerbated transportation, affordable housing and homelessness issues but said the county's economic, population and cultural expansion put it in a position to invest in its future to resolve those problems.

As evidence, Demings talked about how the economy is booming since emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown — including Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration, new roller coasters and attractions at Universal and SeaWorld and the construction started on Universal’s Epic Universe theme park.

Demings also pointed out that the convention industry has rebounded and that a variety of businesses are relocating to Orange County. 

Funds from the American Rescue Plan have helped the county partner with UCF and CareerSource to help residents improve their skills to meet employers' needs and to find good-paying jobs, Demings said. In addition, he said funds are available in the budget for child care.

As part of the increase in visitors, Demings pointed out that Orlando International Airport has become the seventh-busiest airport in the United States. The completion of Terminal C and on the intermodal terminal is expected to add to the traffic.

In all, Orlando welcomed 59.3 million visitors; not quite pre-pandemic levels, but a significant improvement, he said.

The Biden administration’s announcement Friday that the U.S. would remove COVID testing requirements for people re-entering the U.S. should improve international travel numbers by up to 20%, Demings added later.

The county is experiencing a population boom along with economic growth, he said. From 2010 to 2020, the population surged 25% to 1.43 million, and it is expected to reach about 1.5 million by December, Demings said.

That growth has also led to challenges such as transportation concerns and affordable housing, which has hindered some people from getting back on their feet financially, Demings conceded.

To try to address those concerns, Demings pointed to an initiative to get a new penny sales tax on the November ballot to help make mass transit more available. The additional funds, 51% of which he said would be paid for by visitors to the area, could raise $600 million annually, he said.

He also referred to an upcoming county commission special session on affordable housing and discussion on possible rent controls.

“Orange County’s future is bright. We will continue to embrace diversity because everyone deserves the right to be valued and respected," Demings promised. "We continue to fight for affordable housing because everyone deserves a safe place to live. We will continue to embrace collaboration because there is power in people and partnerships. We will continue to lift up local businesses because our true economic strength lies within them.”