Jim Rosica
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday called the upcoming year “the year of the manufacturer,” calling for the Legislature to kill the state’s business tax on manufacturing this upcoming legislative session.
Scott spoke during the yearly Associated Press Legislative Planning Session, held on the 22nd floor of the Capitol.
“If we do this, we’ll see a dramatic growth in manufacturing in our state,” he said.
The state already has cut the sales tax on manufacturing equipment.
Scott also called for lawmakers to fully fund Enterprise Florida, the state’s public-private economic development organization.
Bill Johnson, the organization’s CEO, lately has been tussling with lawmakers over funding for his agency’s financial incentive programs, used to entice businesses to the Sunshine State.
Earlier this year, Johnson asked for $85 million in incentive funding, but only got $43 million.
Senate records show Enterprise Florida hasn’t spent more than $19 million in a given year, and senators have complained that the group keeps asking for more money than it can spend in a given year.
The governor also said his upcoming tax cut proposal will be bigger than last year’s, adding “we ought to be able to (pass) it.” he released no details Wednesday, but that would put it at over last year’s cuts of roughly $400 million.
He mentioned that the state added 940,000 jobs since his taking office and it has seen 100 million tourists in the last 12 months.
“Basically, we are on a roll,” Scott said. “… We can be the No. 1 state.”
