A group of citizens and community leaders has formed an organization to support the future growth and economic development of Collier County.

The Coalition for Open Economic Development, ( COED ), supports the development of a comprehensive plan for sustainable economic development based on private enterprise and entrepreneurial investment. COED believes it is essential to expand and diversify our economic base, but that this effort should be done responsibly, with a well thought out comprehensive strategy, and employing thorough economic and business analysis and due diligence.

The recent Jackson Laboratory proposal has been a source of frustration and anger for many citizens in Collier County. Opposition to this proposal, and our local government's approach to the utilization of public tax dollars for private enterprise has steadily grown.

COED is providing a focal point for opposition to Jackson, the rational discussion of our local economic development, and an organization for citizen involvement.

COED supports economic development, but we do not support the current Jackson Laboratory proposal.

It is a bad proposal for many reasons:

• It relies on taxpayer money to fund private enterprise. It is corporate welfare.
• It has been systematically advanced without thorough economic analysis and due diligence.
• It diverts funding from needed local services and projects.
• It has been sold to the public through the creation of unrealistic expectations.
• It is bad business both in terms of the likelihood of success and a reasonable return on investment for taxpayers.
• It disproportionately benefits special interests.
• Clusters have not developed in Florida. OPPAGA Report

We believe that a vast majority of Collier citizens oppose the Jackson Laboratory proposal. Electronic polls conducted by the Naples Daily News have shown 82% to 84% opposition. Letters to the Editor have run significantly against the project. Thousands have signed petitions opposing Jackson.

Rational calls for a binding voter referendum on the Jackson Laboratory project have been repeatedly ignored by the Board of County Commissioners, who apparently feel the input and opinion of their constituents is of little importance.

COED is committed to both stopping the Jackson Laboratory project and working to bring economic growth and diversity to Collier County. We are taking steps on a number of fronts and we invite you to join us! 

Interested citizens, please send your name, email address, and phone number to: webmaster@colliercoed.com

Sign an online petition to Governor Rick Scott