On Friday, June 4, 2021, in what seemed impossible just a few short months ago, Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings presented the 2021 State of Orange County address inside of the Linda Chapin Theater at the Orange County Convention Center to in-person and virtual guests on Friday morning, June 4, 2021. The Mayor's address included several highlights and points to note.
State of Emergency Ends - After 15 months of restrictions, the county is no longer in a state of emergency and all pandemic County mandates have been lifted.
Unemployment Near Pre-Pandemic Levels - After the region’s unemployment rate peaked at 22.6 percent, unemployment is estimated at 5.6 percent.
Airport Traffic Surging - The Orlando International Airport (MCO) is once again one of the top five busiest airports in the nation and the busiest in Florida based on TSA passenger count.
Positivity Rate Down - The Florida Department of Health reported a 14-day rolling daily COVID-19 daily positivity rate of 5 percent or below.
Mayor Demings, who is seeking a second, four-year term in 2022, said he also intends to reinstate the one-cent sales tax initiative for public transportation funding when the economy is in full recovery. The tax which was halted in April 2020 because of the pandemic, is projected to raise $596 million a year and help fund SunRail and Lynx.
Comments