By the Numbers

[spenser1058]

8 hours ago, jgardnerucf said:

Buc-ee's

104 pumps and the lowest price for gas yesterday in Daytona!

I also read in WaPo this week Stuckey’s is trying to make a comeback and compared to Buc-ee’s….

[spenser1058]

NYC, LA and SFO continued to shrink in 2021 while cities like Atlanta and midsize areas continue to grow:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/us/census-2021-population-growth.html?referringSource=articleShare

From The New York Times 
 

[spenser1058]

Locally, Orange and Seminole County populations declined slightly during the pandemic but growth in the metro’s other two counties helped the MSA grow by 0.7% to 2.7 million:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/florida/os-ne-county-census-numbers-20220324-whlsekhv75c7dd6gslaqoy66qi-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

[spenser1058]

Wiki has updated its Top 50 US MSA list and we fell a notch to #23, behind Charlotte.

This wasn’t unexpected due to COVID as our major industry all but shut down. The Trump administration’s effort to undercount minorities in the 2020 census no doubt also played a role as OC gets closer and closer to majority - minority status.

Things should be on the right track now as, once we leapfrog Charlotte (again), the next two areas ahead of us are St. Louis and Baltimore. Both are experiencing negative growth and have been for a while. It would really help if @jrs2 could convince the feds to finally add Volusia to the MSA as the southwest part of the county keeps growing and a good chunk of those folks commute across the river for jobs, shopping and entertainment.

Edited April 6, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Interesting stat - almost 60% of Seminole County residents are now employed within the county. It ain’t just a bedroom community anymore. 

Now if the I4 Eyesore ever gets finished, they’ll be on their way to big city status!

With more new residents every year, Seminole plans for growth through 2045
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole-county/os-ne-seminole-county-growth-20-years-20220609-nbnbxfwmwjcslldy6qivfzawdy-story.html 

From The Sentinel 

 

 

[jrs2]

4 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Interesting stat - almost 60% of Seminole County residents are now employed within the county. It ain’t just a bedroom community anymore. 

Now if the I4 Eyesore ever gets finished, they’ll be on their way to big city status!

With more new residents every year, Seminole plans for growth through 2045
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole-county/os-ne-seminole-county-growth-20-years-20220609-nbnbxfwmwjcslldy6qivfzawdy-story.html 

From The Sentinel 

fascinating stat

[spenser1058]

Growth is spreading around most of the cities in Volusia County, according to 2022 census estimates:

https://www.hometownnewsvolusia.com/business/volusia-business-news-volusia-county-cities-are-getting-bigger/article_cabaa9be-e598-11ec-977a-0f8201205b86.html

From Volusia Hometown News

It seems Orange City is getting out in front of DeBary. Is DeBary losing its mojo since @orange87left town? <g>
 

[spenser1058]

Fun Fact: The Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne TV market is larger than Miami/ FLL. We’re #17 (about to jump to 16). Miami’s #18. Tampa/St Pete/Sarasota (and of course Bradenton for @dcluley98!) beats us both for the time being at #13.

Keep that in mind as CFB teams jockey for inclusion in the latest conference shuffle.

Source: Wiki

[orange87]

Florida's minimum wage increases to $11/hr on September 30th. Connecticut's minimum wage increased to $14/hr last Friday.

[spenser1058]

14 minutes ago, orange87 said:

Florida's minimum wage increases to $11/hr on September 30th. Connecticut's minimum wage increased to $14/hr last Friday.

Connecticut has an income tax. Is it progressive to minimize the burden on the minimum wage folks?

[orange87]

2 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Connecticut has an income tax. Is it progressive to minimize the burden on the minimum wage folks?

Yes it is. The rate ranges from 3.00% to 6.99% based on income level.

[spenser1058]

6 minutes ago, orange87 said:

Yes it is. The rate ranges from 3.00% to 6.99% based on income level.

The thing about Florida, in addition to no income tax, is that rentals and housing used to be affordable compared to most parts of the country. When WDW opened, Orlando used to be one of the most affordable places to buy a house. That’s no longer the case and it’s causing problems.

[orange87]

40 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

The thing about Florida, in addition to no income tax, is that rentals and housing used to be affordable compared to most parts of the country. When WDW opened, Orlando used to be one of the most affordable places to buy a house. That’s no longer the case and it’s causing problems.

Surprisingly, according to multiple websites, the average home prices in Connecticut and Florida are almost the same at the moment. My wife used to work for the State of Florida and now works for the State of Massachusetts (from home in CT). She has a Master's degree and struggled to find a high paying job in Florida. High paying jobs are plentiful in the northeast and it appears that she'll be averaging two raises per year (she got two last year and is scheduled to get two more this year). In Florida, she got a small raise every five years or so.

[spenser1058]

Tampa General ranked Florida’s top teaching hospital- among top 15 in US, according to Fortune/Merative.

From Florida Politics 

[JFW657]

The City Beautiful has been named the sweatiest city in the U.S. by MyDatingAdvisor.

The study compared 200 of the largest U.S. cities across the following categories: weather, sweat factors and cooling off, as well as data points such as the number of days above 90 degrees, population density and the availability of air conditioning and bodies of water to cool down.

 

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/hot-take-orlando-named-sweatiest-city-country/MYW2FUHIU5CT7LCOALT7WDBW7A

 

 

 

[spenser1058]

Seminole County is having a record year for its TDT:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole-county/os-ne-seminole-county-tourist-tax-revenues-20220711-ceam6cpjobacxlvksvmdelowbu-story.html

From The Sentinel 

In May, the tax brought in more than $585,000, a 44% increase over the same month in 2021.

Maybe the new MLB stadium should be in Casselberry! It’s the, ummmm, Natural Choice!
 

[spenser1058]

“In the year 2000, 49.5 percent of OCPS’s students actually graduated from traditional high school. By 2021, that figure had risen to 98.4 percent.

“Keep in mind, those impressive graduation rates are happening in a context where 75 percent of the students come from a household with so little income it entitles them to free or reduced charges for school lunches.

”Orange County Public Schools — the ninth-largest school district in the United States, with an enrollment of more than 206,000 — daily accepts the challenge of teaching an amazingly cosmopolitan group of students, who represent 208 countries and 166 languages or dialects.

”In the 2020-2021 school year, ad valorem funds to the OCPS totaled about $161.5 million. Of that amount, nearly $86 million was used to preserve academic programs and retain highly qualified teachers (1,165 teachers, counselors, social workers and career and college-readiness programs). Nearly $55 million was used to bolster the arts (art, dance, drama and music teachers). Some $7.7 million went to protect athletics (pay for coaches and athletic trainers).”

OCPS and your dollars are working hard for OC’s kids (charter schools also benefit from the tax). On your primary ballot, VOTE “YES” to extend the 1-mill ad valorem property tax for four more years!

How can we afford to not adequately fund Orange County schools? | Commentary
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/guest-commentary/os-op-orange-county-schools-funding-millage-20220731-rkrxxx7do5ailjnvgpb5zzqfyq-story.html

From The Sentinel 

Edited July 31, 2022 by spenser1058

[jack]

On 7/31/2022 at 7:57 AM, spenser1058 said:

“In the year 2000, 49.5 percent of OCPS’s students actually graduated from traditional high school. By 2021, that figure had risen to 98.4 percent.

“Keep in mind, those impressive graduation rates are happening in a context where 75 percent of the students come from a household with so little income it entitles them to free or reduced charges for school lunches.

”Orange County Public Schools — the ninth-largest school district in the United States, with an enrollment of more than 206,000 — daily accepts the challenge of teaching an amazingly cosmopolitan group of students, who represent 208 countries and 166 languages or dialects.

”In the 2020-2021 school year, ad valorem funds to the OCPS totaled about $161.5 million. Of that amount, nearly $86 million was used to preserve academic programs and retain highly qualified teachers (1,165 teachers, counselors, social workers and career and college-readiness programs). Nearly $55 million was used to bolster the arts (art, dance, drama and music teachers). Some $7.7 million went to protect athletics (pay for coaches and athletic trainers).”

OCPS and your dollars are working hard for OC’s kids (charter schools also benefit from the tax). On your primary ballot, VOTE “YES” to extend the 1-mill ad valorem property tax for four more years!

How can we afford to not adequately fund Orange County schools? | Commentary
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/guest-commentary/os-op-orange-county-schools-funding-millage-20220731-rkrxxx7do5ailjnvgpb5zzqfyq-story.html

From The Sentinel 

Pathetic. No wonder Florida has/had the reputation of an education abyss. Is it purely setting up teachers for success, better students (more involved parents) or something else? Any teachers or administrators on here? 

[spenser1058]

20 minutes ago, jack said:

Pathetic. No wonder Florida has/had the reputation of an education abyss. Is it purely setting up teachers for success, better students (more involved parents) or something else? Any teachers or administrators on here? 

Part of the problem, especially in the last two decades, is that Tallahassee has tried to micromanage public education systems from afar, in direct contravention of home rule. That might be OK if they were focused on, you know, education, as in the Betty Castor* era, but today all that matters to those folks is nonsense like “Don’t Say Gay”.

The very fact local school boards like OCPS have been able to navigate around the noise is laudable.

*Note to @jrs2- after Betty retired as Education Commissioner and became president of USF, she never tried to Genshaft anyone…
 

Edited August 1, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

“Florida hit a peak of about 12 million wirelines (landlines)more than two decades ago. But the new report said that total was down to about 1.152 million in 2021, with only 428,431 residential wirelines.”

From The Sentinel 

Edited August 2, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Study shows Seminole libraries underfunded; residents pleased with service
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole-county/os-ne-seminole-county-libraries-space-funding-20220805-ubwrxjqefzcjxgroa4pcat45xy-story.html

From The Sentinel 

I suppose if folks are content with what they have, so be it. I’ve been spoiled by OCLS, it provides so many great services the other systems in the region don’t. I’ve definitely been underwhelmed by the two Seminole libraries I’ve visited. It’s impressive 73% of the county’s residents have library cards, though.
 

[spenser1058]

Grand Total#1 County#2 County#3 County

Florida93,782Duval (6,968)Hillsborough (6,874)Alachua (6,756)

Florida State70,394Leon (8,313)Duval (4,713)Hillsborough (4,638)

UCF34,488Orange (10,429)Seminole (5,502)Brevard (2,221)

Miami29,994Miami-Dade (9,904)Broward (4,716)Palm Beach (2,493)

Florida A&M16,576Leon (3,162)Duval (1,694)Orange (1,491)

South Florida14,878Hillsborough (5,665)Pinellas (2,170)Pasco (1,559)

Bethune-Cookman4,901

In the July count of FL Collegiate Specialty Plates, the Knights continue in #3 and leave UM and Duh Cows further and further behind.

Charge On!

[spenser1058]

“40% of Disney Cruise Line passengers said that they would not take a cruise unless it was with Disney.”

[spenser1058]

“Disney’s 22 domestic hotels* had an occupancy rate of 90 percent in the quarter, Christine M. McCarthy, Disney’s chief financial officer, told analysts on the conference call. Bookings for the rest of the year are “roughly in line” with prepandemic levels, she added, and park attendance on “many days” has exceeded 2019 levels.”

*It wasn’t clear so it may include the three Anaheim properties and perhaps Vero Beach and Hilton Head as well.

[angela1117]

19 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

“40% of Disney Cruise Line passengers said that they would not take a cruise unless it was with Disney.”

Bless their hearts....I can't think of a more miserable vacation prospect...and I love a good cruise!