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The City of Leesburg enjoys a vibrant economic environment. We have been able to maintain the charm of a small town in our downtown area and still grow to provide the opportunities our residents want and deserve. Leesburg and Lake County's increasingly diversified economic bases position us well in terms of our long-range strength, relative to our neighbors and histories.

With the completion of Highway 441 on the east side of town and the booming residential area on Highway 27 on our south side of town, it makes for a pretty gateway into our city. The community has experienced an increase in residential development for seniors, condominiums, market rate apartments and upscale housing.

The Leesburg area is located at a crossroads of geographic expansion as the retirement market continues to push from the north, while family households sustain the dominant market segment to the south. The factors that will influence future growth in this area are not dissimilar to the factors that are currently influencing growth in east central Florida.

This area has embraced both market segments, and as a result, has become one of the emerging economic submarkets in all of Central Florida. Recognizing these factors, and tempering them with the reality that Leesburg faces a geographic challenge when compared to other adjacent areas in attracting employees, it is projected that the Leesburg submarket will capture the following shares of county growth to 2025:

Population and Housing — 1/3 of county growth
Agriculture — 10%
Mining — 43%
Construction — 31%
Manufacturing — 44%
Transportation and Commuting — 39%
Wholesale Trade — 30%
Retail Trade — 30%
Finance, Insurance, etc. — 39%
Services — 45%
Government Wholesale Trade — 12%
Total — 36% of county growth

The city provides incentives, which are competitive with regional jurisdictions to encourage economic development. Leesburg demonstrates a business-friendly environment by financing water and wastewater impact fees for businesses that desire to build or expand their facilities. In addition to financing impact fees, the City of Leesburg offers ad valorem tax exemptions for new businesses and existing businesses that expand.

The city supports Lake County in the Job Growth Incentive Program to promote high-paying jobs in target industries. Businesses that expand or relocate in Lake County are eligible for a job growth incentive fund; provided they meet specific program requirements, such as that the jobs created earn 115 percent of the average median wage. In addition, the city offers a $500 incentive for jobs created that earn an average of 110 percent of the average median wage.

Some demographic and economic statistics are presented:

Population (2000) — 15,956
Estimated Population in July 2006 — 19,934 (Change of 24.3%)
Males — 8,838 (45.8%)
Females — 10,474 (54.2%)
Median age (Lake County) — 43.6
Florida Median Age — 38.7
Estimated Median Household Income (2005) — $32,382 (up from $25,988 in 2000)
Leesburg — $32,382
Florida — $42,433
Estimated Median House/ Condo Value (2005) — $104,300 (up from $70,400 in 2000)
Leesburg — $139,356
Florida — $189,500
Lake County unemployment rate — 7.4%
State unemployment rate — 4.0%
Zip Codes — 34748 and 34788
Leesburg’s public schools:
Elementary — 4
Middle School — 2
High School — 1
Adult — 1

Other public school programs in Leesburg enhance the overall school system. A School-to-Work program ensures a smooth step into a career for high school students and an opportunity to experience choices for children. The World Class Lake County program assists Lake County schools to provide high academic standards, accurate assessments, leading edge instructional technology, accountability tools to measure the school system’s performance and strong community support.

Post-secondary education:

2-year college — 1
4-year accredited university (cooperative agreement) — 2
4-year college for disabled — 1

Lake-Sumter Community College offers a variety of associate degrees. Through cooperative agreements, the University of Central Florida, and St. Leo University offer bachelor’s degree programs at the Lake-Sumter Community College campus. Beacon College, the nation’s only four-year college for learning disabled students, is a private, not-for-profit school, which offers liberal arts degrees to enable development of skills and strategies to become responsible, self-reliant adults.

A wide variety of housing options are available in the Leesburg area, including single-family homes in subdivisions, condominiums, apartments, manufactured homes, residential retirement communities, and assisted-living facilities. There are many golf courses and county clubs nearby from which to choose. The largest retirement community in Florida, The Villages, is located north of Leesburg in Lake, Sumter, and Marion counties.

Pension Trust Funds account for the activities of the assets held by the city in a trustee capacity for public employee retirement systems. The city maintains the following three funds, which accumulate resources for pension benefit payments to qualified retiring employees:

Police Pension Trust Fund – This defined benefit plan was created pursuant to Chapter 185, Florida Statues. Resources are contributed by the participating employees and the state of Florida. Members of the Municipal Police Pension Trust are also members of the General Employees Pension Trust.

Fireman’s Pension Trust Fund – This defined benefit plan was created pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 175, Florida Statutes. Resources are contributed by the city, participating employees and the state of Florida

General Employees Pension Trust Fund – This defined benefit plan provides pension benefits to eligible full-time employees, except commissioners and firefighters. Resources are contributed by the city.

Municipal Services

The city provides a traditional mix of general government services including police and fire protection, library, construction, and maintenance of streets and infrastructure, storm water drainage, recreational activities, cultural events, planning, zoning, housing, and administrative services. In addition to general government activities, the city also provides a full range of utility services, including electric, natural gas, solid waste, communication services (which includes Internet and fiber optic cable services), water, and wastewater treatment. Details about each system are found in the specific section of the budget.

The rates charged for the use of all of the utility systems are reasonable comparable to rates charges by similar utilities. The rates of the electric system are established by ordinance of the City Commission. The current rate structure of the city (as opposed to the actual rates) is subject to the approval of the Public Service Commission (PSC). Rates for the use of natural gas, water, wastewater, communications, and solid waste systems are established by ordinance of the City Commission and are not regulated by any other agency. The city has an active maintenance program and considers all systems to be in good condition.

Leesburg Fire Department

The Leesburg Fire Department is pleased to announce that, effective December 1, 2007, the City of Leesburg’s Public Protection Classification (PPC) will be raised for Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class 4/9 to ISO 2/9. This change will have the positive effect of lowering the cost of property insurance for many of our residents and business owners.

Lake-Sumter EMS

Lake-Sumter EMS (LSEMS) was recognized for the second year in a row with the "Exceptional Places to Work" award sponsored by Edd Holder and Associates. To citizens, this means that LSEMS truly cares about our employees and works hard to retain, as well as provide opportunities for advancement, education and an overall great place to work.

LSEMS has also received the "2008 EMS Provider of the Year" Award. Only one award is given per year to an EMS agency. The award represents to the citizens that we operate a comprehensive, progressive EMS service using the latest technology, up-to-date communications center and very highly skilled and compassionate EMTs and paramedics.