By Lindsay Walker
Research Associate
The Center for Urban & Environmental Solutions
Florida Atlantic University

On June 28, 2004 the Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlantic University convened its third statewide indicators meeting, generously hosted at the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce by myregion.org. The meeting was attended by representatives from South Florida, Tampa Bay, Orlando, Jacksonville and Sarasota who all shared their current work on regional and community indicators projects.

Several engaging discussions took place at the meeting. One was about the selection of common indicators that could be used to do cross-region comparisons, as well as the role of the State of Florida in making data more accessible and comparable. An additional component of this is identifying how the regions complement each other in order to improve the economy, social equity and livability of the state as a whole.

Another important topic was the selection of national and international regions with which to compare Florida’s regions. This would entail identifying the region’s characteristics, strengths and weaknesses, as well as envisioning goals for the future. What kind of economy and quality of life does the region want? What regions are similar to this one? Which ones are economic competitors? Is the region making progress and is it competitive?

The group identified several challenges and goals to inform their next steps. The first set relates to the use of indicators within the communities to raise awareness and get community input. Challenges range from effectively framing the debate and communicating values to organizing and including residents from all sectors of the community.

The second set relates to the continuous, efficient use of indicators to measure progress. It includes the coordination of efforts across the regions to identify universal indicators for use at the local, region, state and international levels. The group would also like to identify and create common datasets, advocate for state agencies to supply comparable, current data, and seek private and public funding for the group’s work.

Finally, the third set relates to effecting change through the use of indicators. It includes linking indicators to policy decisions and finding ways to “bend the trends” and move Florida’s regions toward greater prosperity, health and cohesion.