JCCI Releases 23rd Annual Community Indicators Report

The 2007 edition of the Jacksonville Community Council Inc. (JCCI) Quality of Life Progress Report has been recently released. The 23rd edition outlines clear priorities for action for Jacksonville and Northeast Florida for the coming year.

The report includes 111 indicators that reflect trends in nine external environments: Achieving Educational Excellence; Growing a Vibrant Economy; Preserving the Natural Environment; Promoting Social Wellbeing and Harmony; Enjoying Arts, Culture and Recreation; Sustaining a Healthy Community; Maintaining a Responsive Government; Moving Around Efficiently; and Keeping the Community Safe.

Much of the data for the Quality of Life Progress Report is obtained from the records and documents of various public and private organizations. An annual opinion survey provides the remaining data.

At the release event, Ronald Autrey, chair of the 2007 Quality of Life Progress Report Review Committee and chair of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, presented the report to Mayor John Peyton and the citizens of Jacksonville.

The Florida Times-Union reported: Acknowledging what he called "externally imposed reductions to local funding," referring to Tuesday's approval of the property tax amendment, Ron Autrey outlined the findings of the Jacksonville Community Council Inc.'s 2007 Quality of Life Progress Report. Autrey, head of Miller Electric Co., and chairman of the report, spoke of the level of uncertainty the tax amendment will impose on the community's efforts to sustain the gains and to make improvements that are needed. The purpose of the annual report, he added, is "to help keep important issues on the public's mind."

Local television added that the good news is that the community cares. "Every one of those negative trends is being looked at, by government, by business, by concerned individuals and nonprofit agencies," Autrey said.

Jacksonville Community Council Inc. (JCCI) is a nonprofit civic organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in Northeast Florida. Since 1975, JCCI has convened diverse groups of citizens each year to identify significant community issues for in-depth study. Its goal is to increase public awareness and promote positive action. JCCI’s study process and indicator reports have served as models for hundreds of communities around the world. For more information, visit the JCCI web site at http://www.jcci.org/.