We need to get out in front of the growth. The county should be marketed to specifically targeted industries, such as bio-medical research firms, she said. Gainesville's medical community is really growing, the industry as a whole is growing and since we're so close to Gainesville . . It is basically a clean industry and does not have major transportation needs. Another target industry she suggested is that of customer service call centers, like the BellSouth center planned for Fleming Island.
Residents also bring up various transportation issues.
Most of them are concerned about traffic and transportation. Residents are dissatisfied with the public transportation currently available in Clay County, which is primarily the limited-run buses offered by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Another point residents make on the campaign trail is that they want property taxes kept as low as possible, rather than increased to pay for growth demands, she said. Fitzgerald said that her background, including a degree in management and 15 years worth of civic, community and political activities in Clay County, has equipped her to tackle such diverse issues as development and finance. I do come from a financial management background.