FLORIDA ECONOMY

An economist for the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation predicts that the state will continue to outpace the nation on key economic measures and add another 200,000 new jobs this year. However, he said it is not known how the impact of the $15 minimum wage will affect Florida’s economy. Voters in November will decide whether to hike the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026.   Other factors that could slow the economy include trade wars and tariffs that could affect Florida’s agriculture industries. At the end of 2019, Florida’s unemployment rate had dipped to 3.1%, the lowest since 2006.