Matt Gaetz backs Rick Scott’s Enterprise Florida requests
Matt Gaetz

gaetz-matt-great-shot (Medium)

Northwest Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz announced his support of a proposal by Gov. Rick Scott to overhaul the state’s public-private business recruiting vehicle, Enterprise Florida.

Scott is seeking to create a $250 million fund to help sustain Enterprise Florida Inc., which uses revenues from the state and other sources to encourage out-of-state businesses to create jobs in the state.

“I’m proud to fully support the proposal to create the Florida Enterprise Fund and improve the economic development process at Enterprise Florida,” Gaetz said in a prepared statement Tuesday.

Funding for the endeavor has been a sticking point, particularly in the state Senate, where critics such as Sen. Jack Latvala and Sen. Nancy Detert have cried foul amid a perception Enterprise Florida feels too entitled to state funding without adequate explanation of its plans while unspent funds accumulate from previous appropriations.

Gaetz wants to ascend to the Senate next year after his father, former Senate President Don Gaetz, terms out in deep-red SD 1, which takes in much of the western Florida Panhandle.

The Shalimar Republican cited past EFI successes in his announcement.

“Enterprise Florida has been integral to creating jobs in our community, such as Edge Aerodynamix Inc. in Panama City, providing 120 new jobs, and in Pensacola the Naval Federal Credit Union bringing 7,200 jobs, Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd, with 304 jobs and DeepFlex Inc. contributing 100 new jobs to the panhandle,” Gaetz said.

“These reforms will continue to diversify our local economy, empower our small businesses, and create even more great jobs,” Gaetz said.

Ryan Ray

Ryan Ray covers politics and public policy in North Florida and across the state. He has also worked as a legislative researcher and political campaign staffer. He can be reached at [email protected].



#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories