Feds Revise Tallahassee’s 2016 “Fastest Growing Economy” GDP Down by 52%

Note: The original percentage revision (105%)  published was changed using a more conservative calculation method.

Late last year the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released data that showed that Tallahassee had one of the fastest growing Growth Domestic Product’s (GDP) in the state of Florida in 2016 with a growth rate of 4.3%. This growth was ranked 5th in the state when compared to the 22 Florida MSA’s.

When the numbers were released, TR wrote about the controversy surrounding the numbers and how local government officials could not explain what was driving the sudden growth. The growth in 2015 was a meager 0.5%.

Now it is clear why these officials could not explain the magnitude of the growth – it never happened.

This week the BEA released the revised numbers for 2016 and these numbers show that GDP growth for the Tallahassee MSA was revised down from 4.3% to 2.1%, a 52% drop. This revision changes the 2016 GDP growth ranking in the state of Florida from 5th to 12th.

Growth rates for other MSA’s in Florida were also revised, but the fall of the Tallahassee MSA in the state ranking shows few, if any, were revised as much the Tallahassee MSA.

When the 2016 numbers were released last year, the BEA indicated that the numbers were preliminary. However, this did not stop local officials from bragging about a number they could not explain.

Here are some tweets:

From the Mayor’s Office twitter account: “The numbers don’t lie, folks! #Tallahassee has the fastest growing #economy per capita in #Florida! ”

From the OEV’s twitter account: “Tallahassee metro area has the fastest growing economy per capita in the state.”

From the City of Tallahassee retreat agenda: “the Tallahassee metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is the fastest growing economy (per capita) in the State of Florida.”

Also, the Andrew Gillum campaign for governor of Florida is using the “fastest growing economy” statement in their messaging. The tweet below is from the Gillum campaign’s communications director, Geoff Burgan.

In addition to the revisions released this week, the BEA issued preliminary GDP growth numbers for 2017. The numbers show that the Tallahassee MSA growth in GDP was 3.1% which was tied for 5th when compared to the other 22 MSA’s. See chart below.

Revisions for 2017 will be released next year.

Steve Stewart

Steve Stewart is the founder and editor of Tallahassee Reports which began in 2009 as an online blog. Steve received a Bachelors Degree from Clemson University in 1984 and a Masters degree in Political Science from FSU in 1990. He has been involved with state and local politics since arriving in Tallahassee in 1989.

View all posts by Steve Stewart →

21 Comments

  1. AD
    AD

    Aren't some of those communities on the list w negative numbers run by real American Trumpistas? Steve needs to go back to school and study statistics and public finance unless of course he is just following in the steps of the p...sy grabber in chief.. and just wants to add to the disinformation.

    1. Can't believe it's not butter
      Can't believe it's not butter

      AD:

      Too bad you and ones like you get so caught up on trying to smear someone rather than just admitting when you were wrong. So let's just resort to name calling and trying to look somewhat intelligent. Failed there too. So sad. Go back to your little wagon of left wannabes.

  2. AD
    AD

    This sounds s lot like Steve's role model (it troll model). These input output models are always revised because of the way they are calculated....same method as national GDP.....those are revised up to a year or more after they are first pesented. So if the national GDP goes down a point (25 percent)... Do we take to the streets and claim that the Trump administration has conspired with the figures? It's like the job numbers being fake until Trump was president....this reminds me of a debate between Steve and Miller.....I wanted to vote against her...but Steve kept pulling this same kind of misinterpreting figures over and over like a one trick pony.....and that trick is....it's all a conspiracy...set your hair on ?

  3. Todd Gulledge
    Todd Gulledge

    Wow...what a bunch of morons

    1. News Maven
      News Maven

      https://mugshots.com/US-Counties/Florida/Leon-County-FL/Todd-Gulledge.21224574.html

      1. Snidely Whiplash
        Snidely Whiplash

        OMG Todd was on probation when he got arrested for leaving an accident. Most likely had to sober up first. Todd what were you on probation for (we can check at the F.D.O.C website ya know)?
        Todd does have nice hair in that mugshot though. Must have had a shower and hair gel before going to jail.
        Was anyone hurt or killed in the accident Todd? Were you straight with your auto insurance or did you submit a fraudulent claim?
        Looks like maybe someone high up in the local party was able to bail you out the same day too. Do you work for the City of Tallahassee Todd?
        Todd we are all counting on you to do the right thing and vote straight line Republican in the upcoming election!!!

  4. Hope
    Hope

    PS:

    What about a city lobbyist, friend of the mayor, campaign consultant of the mayor, ... Go on a trip to Costa Rica together where Gillum cannot produce receipts showing he paid his own way, then gives a $90,000 contract to the same lobbyist only days ago...

    In fact, it only brings about more questions such as a $15,000 deposit into Gillum's bank account that we are eagerly awaiting clarification on...

    1. News Maven
      News Maven

      http://releasethereceipts.com/

  5. Snidely Whiplash
    Snidely Whiplash

    OT: To dig up a previous comment I made on Harold Knowles Federal corruption trial this coming Monday. I truely feel that trial is 100% related to the Tallahassee corruption Federal investigations. Why is that important? Well here you go: Tallahassee's indictments can not and will not be served on our Tallahassee usual suspects until the Federal Judge in Macon ties up and puts a pretty bow on Harold Knowles Middle Georgia misdeeds. Local Tallahassee indictments should be all served no later than Friday of next week.

    1. Hope
      Hope

      One can only hope... When there is so much greed and so many self-serving actions that cause harm to the public public-at-large, they must be held accountable. .

      Accepting trips to New York Las Vegas and Costa Rica are enough it appears on the surface that at least two or three could face some serious charges.

      But, ramp it up 10 x 1000 at the Scott Maddox Waste Pro dealings and one has to wonder how many others were involved in similar dealings?

      I believe the Gillum / Corey Edison episode is also right up there.

      And then the dealings that we don't even know about, yet.

      Again, how Tallahassee could have been so much better off had they used that excess greed and directed it to law enforcement salaries, new hires of law enforcement, and law enforcement equipment.

      They don't even try to hide it.

      They all sat there like a deer in headlights when the Consolidated Dispatch Agency was not functioning properly. They all did nothing! They were too busy focused on their self-serving actions : and the list is long...

      I have never seen so much inaction yet so much action directed at only themselves.

      GOD bless the FBI!!

  6. News Maven
    News Maven

    There are three kinds of lies in the Socialist playbook:
    Lies
    Damned Lies
    And Statistics.

  7. Anhaica
    Anhaica

    From the Mayor’s Office twitter account: “The numbers don’t lie, folks! #Tallahassee has the fastest growing #economy per capita in #Florida! ”

    Numbers don't lie, but the people that manipulate and make up the numbers do!

  8. Snidely Whiplash
    Snidely Whiplash

    Everyone knows all governments run by leftists have financial crime and corruption problems. Local County State Federal in the USA. Also true everywhere around the planet.

  9. ChiefGiveaDam
    ChiefGiveaDam

    We can conspire better than this! Perhaps the pathological liar/traitor/womanizer had the numbers deflated...

  10. Scotland Red
    Scotland Red

    Lets not forget that Tallahassee was very slow getting out of the recession. Other communities in Florida have been performing at high levels for longer period of time.

  11. James
    James

    All liberals lie, cheat and steal. The end justifies the means.

  12. Hope
    Hope

    P.S. When you go on national TV and you state there is no crime problem in Tallahassee because telling the truth could possibly affect your personal gain, that is what a coward does, that is what someone without Integrity does, and that is what someone who doesn't care about the public safety of the people they took an oath to serve does. And the editor of the Tallahassee Democrat is complicit 100% for saying and doing nothing and going along with the LIE with the PR scheme that crime is down.

    I believe the lie is significant enough that Gillum should step down as the Democratic nominee for governor and William Hatfield should resign as the editor of the Tallahassee Democrat.

    Day 24 since Gillum LIED on national TV stating there is no crime problem in Tallahassee.

    Day 9 since Gillum voted to give his friend, campaign consultant, a $90,000 extension on a contract for lobbying for the city of Tallahassee.

      1. alex
        alex

        Todd, you must have been a good boy and Mommy gave you your phone back.

  13. Hope
    Hope

    Perhaps, the mayor's office should revise the recently-released crime stats, also. Does this mean crime is really up 52% from what they were reporting only last week.

    FYI: Day 23 since Andrew Gillium lied on national TV that there is no crime problem in Tallahassee.

  14. Snidely Whiplash
    Snidely Whiplash

    Pluck..."Ouch!!!"
    "Who just pulled yet another fake feather from my wanna-be Governor cap?"
    Why Andrew my lad, that would non other than the "Tallahassee Truth Teller", backed up by The Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis.
    Thank you Steve!

💬

Join the Conversation

Commenting is a benefit of your Tallahassee Reports subscription. Subscribe for $4.99/month or $50/year to participate.

Your subscription also unlocks our full archive, print e-editions, and supports local independent journalism.

Scroll to Top