by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
The City’s focus on attracting high-paying jobs is keeping its neediest residents out of work, the chairman of Jacksonville Community Council’s Forward program told a mayoral transition team subcommittee Wednesday.
Earl Johnson Jr. told a Jacksonville Economic Development Commission subcommittee that it may be spending millions to solve a problem it doesn’t have. Since its creation in 1996, the JEDC has spent more than $260 million to attract a projected 27,000 jobs.
Those subsidies have largely gone to technology and finance concerns, bringing with them high-paying employment. But Johnson said those jobs are out of reach to nearly 65,000 households who earn annually less than $20,000.
“If we keep aiming for the high-hanging fruit, the positions that earn $60, $70, $80 thousand per year, then we’d be remiss if we’re not cognizant of the fact that the largest section of unemployed people are not vying for those jobs,”said Johnson.
According to the 2000 census, areas of Jacksonville earning a median income of less than $25,000 also have the highest unemployment rates. All but one of the low-income tracts had an unemployment rate from 8 to 20 percent. A majority had an unemployment rate greater than 12.8 percent.
The census found tracts with incomes above $50,000 experienced unemployment below Jacksonville’s 5.5 percent rate. Some of the tracts were under 3.2 percent a level some economists say approaches the least possible rate.
Johnson said those numbers suggest a new City jobs strategy. He said more mid-level jobs were needed to provide a stepping stone from deadend, service-sector jobs to skilled, higher paying work.
Johnson said the JEDC should pursue more companies such as Embraer, a Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. Manufacturing industry provides security and a stable workforce to the City he said.
“Companies like Embraer have to make a capital investment in the City and its workers,” said Johnson. “After they invest in a plant and technical training they’re not just going to unplug the telephones and move.
“Call center jobs are what they are, but if we’re looking for the best outlay of public money, we should be looking for companies that will be here for the long haul,” said Johnson.
Johnson’s JCCI Forward will launch a forum Sept. 3 on job strategy that will attempt to meet the City’s labor supply with companies’ demand. Mayor John Peyton will be the forum’s lead-off speaker.
Johnson asked the subcommittee to recommend to the steering committee that the administration review its job growth objectives. He said the results of the JCCI study would be available for their use.
Johnson said the JEDC should pursue more companies such as Embraer, a Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. Manufacturing industry provides security and a stable workforce to the City he said.
“Companies like Embraer have to make a capital investment in the City and its workers,” said Johnson. “After they invest in a plant and technical training they’re not just going to unplug the telephones and move.
“Call center jobs are what they are, but if we’re looking for the best outlay of public money, we should be looking for companies that will be here for the long haul,” said Johnson.
Johnson’s JCCI Forward, an initiative led by a group of young professionals, will launch a forum Sept. 3 on job strategy that will attempt to meet the City’s labor supply with companies’ demand. Mayor John Peyton will be the forum’s lead-off speaker.
Johnson asked the subcommittee to recommend to the steering committee that the administration review its job growth objectives. He said the results of the JCCI study would be available for their use.