Mitch Perry
Rick Scott kept the heat on state lawmakers Thursday to overhaul the state’s business incentive programs, saying it’s a matter of bringing more jobs and businesses to the Sunshine State.
As reported by FloridaPolitics.com’s James Rosica, the governor spoke in Orlando at a meeting of Enterprise Florida, the state’s public-private economic development organization. The governor is proposing a $250 million “Florida Enterprise Fund,” nearly three times the $85 million requested last year. The state appropriated $43 million for this fiscal year, and about $35 million of that has already been committed. That concerns Enterprise Florida CEO Bill Johnson.
The proposal has been receiving sharp pushback from members of the state Senate, and American for Prosperity has joined the list of critics.
“Governor Scott should not be asking for $250 million for additional incentive money for Enterprise Florida’s corporate welfare, or any other gross examples of crony capitalism,” state director Chris Hudson said in a prepared statement. “The governor very passionately stated last year during the 2015 legislative session that ‘taxpayers can spend their money better than government can,’ and we agree!”
This past month Senate President Andy Gardiner issued a memo Monday stating that the current business-incentives program needs to be revamped and that lawmakers have adequately funded Enterprise Florida.
Scott’s proposal would make the Florida Enterprise Fund a new trust fund, instead of using an escrow account. The incentive fund dollars would remain untouched in the state treasury until companies under job creation contracts meet their job requirements. This would allow the state’s investment to accrue more interest than the current escrow account.
AFP isn’t buying it.
“Governor Scott should be focused on giving that money back to Florida families or using these dollars for essential services,” Hudson said. “Along with the over $700 million in proposed tax cuts, Floridians could see close to $1 billion in relief. That would be money well spent.”
