Dear Fellow Floridian:
As Floridians, we are fortunate to live in a state with beautiful
beaches, fresh seafood and hospitality that is second to none. Year
after year, visitors flock to our state providing the fuel for one of
our state’s most important economic engines: tourism. As I meet with
businesses across the state, I see firsthand how important our tourism
industry is to many of Florida’s small businesses.
Last year, Florida attracted approximately 86 million visitors, breaking the
previous record set in 2007. In fact, Florida tourism has steadily increased
each year by a total of five percent since 2009. Notwithstanding the adversity
that small businesses have faced over the past few years, I am confident that
these gains are a strong indication that Florida’s tourism economy is on the
road to recovery.
Although it is important that we continue to create conditions that will
attract new industries to Florida, tourism will always be a core component of
our economy.
Jeff Atwater
Chief Financial Officer
State of Florida
Artist Kelvin Hair Exhibits at the Capitol
CFO and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater met this week with artist Kelvin
Hair of Ft. Pierce, a 23-year veteran of the St. Lucie County Fire
Department who retired as a lieutenant in 2000 to paint full time and has
gained widespread recognition for his talent.
Hair grew up surrounded by art. A self-described passionate artist fueled by
bold imagination, Hair was introduced to art as a toddler by his father, famed
Highwayman Alfred Hair, and has been creating original works of art since middle
school. These days, Hair is a widely collected Florida artist with a loyal fan
base.
Hair’s work is on display in the
22nd Floor
Capitol Gallery in Tallahassee through March 29 as a part of
the Division of Cultural Affairs’
Capitol Complex
Exhibitions program. Exhibit hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am
– 5:00 pm. Admission is free.
Florida Holocaust Museum Marks 20th
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Florida
Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg. The longevity of the museum is a
testament to the importance that Floridians place on honoring the
victims of the Holocaust. Each year, the museum helps educate thousands
of visitors who are encouraged to remember of millions of innocent men,
women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. The museum’s
mission is to illustrate to each visitor the inherent worth and dignity
of every human life in order to prevent future genocide.
More than 65 years later, the repercussions of the horrible tragedy
are still felt by Holocaust survivors around the world, including the
estimated 12,500 living in our state. One such repercussion has been the
international wire transfer fees—that amount to about a 10 percent
tax—in order to receive their Holocaust reparation payments from the
German government.
The CFO’s office has partnered with hundreds of Florida’s financial
institutions and their local branches to waive the wire transfer fees on
Holocaust survivors’ reparation payments. Waiving these fees is a
powerful reflection of the willingness of Florida’s financial community
to contribute to the well-being of this important group of Floridians.
To learn more about this program, visit
www.myfloridacfo.com/feewaiver.
Florida's Economic Inside Track
Read the quarterly newsletter for the inside track on Florida's
financial health. To provide up-to-date information on Florida’s
economy, we have a
companion website featuring the latest data and easy access to our
published editions.