Bush builds state economic panel

By KYLE PARKS

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 14, 2000

Gov. Jeb Bush named a 10-member Council of Economic Advisors on Tuesday to help shape his administration's policy, including two people from the Tampa Bay area.

Among the appointees are Scott Brown, an economist for St. Petersburg-based Raymond James & Associates, and Susan MacManus, a professor of public administration and political science at the University of South Florida.

Other Florida governors, such as Bob Graham and Bob Martinez, have had similar groups, which can offer advice on everything from general policy decisions to specific economic development projects.

The chairman of the group will be Tony Villamil, who's leaving his job as director of the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. Villamil is returning to Miami to his former job as a consultant but says he'll continue to keep in close touch with the administration.

"The whole idea of this group is that in addition to meeting four times a year, we can be in constant contact with e-mail," Villamil said.

The other members of the council are:

Anthony Bryan, senior research associate at the University of Miami; Billy Dickens, economist for the state's Public Service Commission; Hank Fishkind, president of the Orlando-based Fishkind & Associates consulting firm; Randall Holcombe, economics professor at Florida State University; Manuel Lasaga, president of Analysis Inc. in Miami; Stephen Morrel, economics professor at Barry University, and Carol Taylor West, economics chairwoman at the University of Florida.

The council draws from most of the state's major metro areas, in contrast to a task force created last month to produce a long-range strategic plan for economic development. State officials said Tuesday they've rectified the task force imbalance, which they called an oversight, by adding two more members, one from the Tampa Bay area.

The new members are Ted Astolfi, who runs economic development efforts in Martin County, and Stuart Rogel, chief executive of the Tampa Bay Partnership, a group that markets the area to businesses and schools across the country.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.