Business challenges familiar

Finding qualified employees and navigating government regulations rank among the top business challenges in Lee County.

According to a quarterly survey of Lee County executives by Florida Gulf Coast University, finding qualified employees, rising health insurance costs, government regulations, rising fuel costs, competition and the political climate are the top concerns for the year ahead.

Despite those challenges, executives are optimistic enough about the future that 54% of them say they plan to boost employment in the coming year and just 1% plan to cut back.

Meanwhile, 62% of executives in Lee County plan to increase investment and just 5% plan to cut back. In the survey, 79% of executives say they expect economic conditions to improve over the next year.

As a result, most executives say costs will rise this year. While most say costs will rise 5% or less this year, 14% expect costs will rise higher.