ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is preparing to deliver his final State of the County address, closing out a historic tenure as he launches a campaign for Florida governor.
Demings made history in 2018 when he became the first African American mayor of Orange County. He has led the county for eight years.
During his time in office, Demings guided Orange County through the COVID-19 pandemic. That included expanding testing efforts as cases surged.
He also led the county through a tourism boom, with record revenue generated by the Tourist Development Tax — a key funding source.
Demings also pushed to address the county’s affordable housing shortage, including initiatives that used public dollars to support housing projects.
Not every effort succeeded. After voters repeatedly rejected a proposed sales tax increase aimed at funding transportation projects, Demings ultimately dropped the plan.
Now, he is turning his attention to statewide politics as he runs for governor.
Demings leaves office as Orange County faces potential financial uncertainty. If Florida voters approve a property tax reduction in November, county leaders could be forced to consider significant budget cuts.
Demings is scheduled to deliver the State of the County address at 9 a.m. Friday.
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