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Saturday, August 16, 2008

Daytona Beach Job Woes Worsen

Daytona Beach City Commission - No Jobs for You!

Daytona Beach City CommissionThe unemployment crisis in the Daytona Beach area has worsened according to the latest numbers from the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation. Today, the Daytona Beach News Journal reported that this was the worst unemployment situation since the recession of 1992 (See Local workers losing jobs, Unemployment worst since 1992).

The July figures continue a trend of negative year-over-year job growth that has battered the business climate of the city. More than 21,000 area residents are unemployed according to the state report issued Friday.

There's not much [work] in this area... I'm looking all over the state.

I'm looking for customer-service or data-entry jobs, but there's no work in there.

I'm looking for anybody who'll hire me so I can make some money

Local unemployed residents


The unemployment rate for this area virtualy doubled in one month...

Commissioner Dwayne Taylor in a recent interview.

Rick Michael, the Volusia County Director of Economic Development, said that the jobless rate seems bleaker that it really is partly because spouses and elderly retirees had re-entered the work force as a result of increasing concern over family budgets.

Mr. Michael is right on that point. The economic depression of the Daytona Beach area is palpable anywhere you go, and while political supporters have reaped huge benefits in selling overvalued assets to the City (See City of Daytona Beach buys 20-foot strip of land from campaign financer for $320,955 )  the population has suffered. Even the city's own elected Commissioners have personally benefited over the largesse. Take for example Commissioner Rick Shiver's sale of his personal residence to the City for over twice its just value, which his fellow Commissioners supported unanimously.

The City demolished the home soon after amid complaints for an investigation. Despite formal criminal complaints filed by a local resident, State Attorney John Tanner has not yet announced an investigation into the matter. Tanner is campaigning for reelection against long time attorney and former prosecutor R.J. Larizza.

Corruption in Daytona Beach a key factor in the city's decay

The level of corruption and ineptitude in City Hall has been one of the key factors in the decay of Daytona Beach's prosperity. While city officials dutifully endeavor to payback their wealthy supporters, they have neglected the very reason for their existence: The well being of the City that elected them.

Cassandra Reynolds

Cassandra ReynoldsIn order to buy loyalty from within, City Management, with the blessing of Commissioners Dwayne Taylor, Cassandra Reynolds  and the rest of the City Commission, have bestowed untold riches to themselves and many patronage employees at taxpayer expense (See Plum Jobs in Daytona Beach). These lavish salaries will only grow exponentially into the future with cost of living allowances, raises, retirement and other benefits. The net effect is an unprecedented burden to Daytona Beach taxpayers for generations to come. This in turn will accelerate the loss of even more jobs and business opportunities to better run, politically-sanitized  locales.

Dwayne Taylor

Dwayne TaylorCommissioner Dwayne Taylor recently resigned abruptly from his post in the City Commission. He is now running for the State Legislature and is the favored candidate financed by special interests in Daytona Beach. According to campaign finance reports, Some of Taylor's supporters include: Mayor Glenn Ritchey, owner of Jon Hall Automotive Group, a $150 million automotive dealerships empire, Hyatt Brown, one of the wealthiest Floridians and CEO of Brown and Brown, Therese Doan, a local multimillionaire investor and owner of several properties used for special events on Main Street (See City of Daytona Beach buys 20-foot strip of land from campaign financer for $320,955), and several other notable individuals.

Also see related articles:

The News Journal coverage about the abusive salary practices of Daytona Beach public officials

Questionable Ethics and Illegal Acts by Daytona Beach Officials

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