EDC looks to change gears by restoring relationship with county

The future of the Sarasota County Economic Development Corp. looked bleak in June.

Some two months later, with a new CEO leading the way — one of the more well-known leaders in the Sarasota-Bradenton business community over the past 15 years — the possibilities, if not downright cheery, are, at least, less bleak. 

In June, the Sarasota County Commission, with a 3-2 vote, approved a proposal to begin phasing out the county’s local business tax and redirect the Economic Development Corp.’s existing reserves to the county’s general fund budget. While not killing the EDC's entire budget, it was a shrewd move and one few others in the insular economic development sector had heard of a county doing before in Florida.