The creation of a new enterprise zone aimed at drawing more technology companies to the city would in turn create more Miami tech jobs.
City officials are working to create a technology enterprise zone in an effort to bring more tech companies and high-paying jobs to Miami. The TEZ would offer incentives such as tax breaks and tax-free periods to technology companies looking to expand or locate in Miami.
Commissioner Francis Suarez is heading up this effort and is currently researching funding sources and getting advice from the private sector. Other notable supporters include Terremark Worldwide CEO Manny Medina and Chip Casanave, president of Data Access Worldwide, according to Miami Today News.
Proponents of the idea say that the TEZ would help bring Latin American technology companies looking to expand to Miami instead of places they are currently locating, such as Boston, Silicon Valley, Virginia, and Dallas. Along with those companies would come high-tech, high-paying job opportunities.
According to the Tech America Foundation Cyberstates 2010 report, high-tech workers in the state earn an average salary of $68,200 per year, which is 72 percent higher than the average private-sector wage in Florida.
Another plus – Miami is home to the Network Access Point of the Americas, a “digital airport” hosted by Terremark that connects Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. While there are similar points in New York, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, and Virginia, Miami’s port is a rare case that connects three continents.
In addition, local technology companies would benefit from the Life Science & Technology Park currently being built at the University of Miami. Other well-known universities throughout the Miami area would also help to entice technology companies.
Florida is currently ranked fourth in the nation for the number of technology companies headquartered there, and with any luck, the creation of a TEZ will help Miami benefit as well.
