Americans for Prosperity goes digital to keep lawmakers in check during holidays

The Department of Health and Human Services was looking toward Satnta Claus to help promote a COVID-19 vaccine.

Much like Santa Claus, Americans for Prosperity Florida will be checking its “naughty list” this Christmas.

And if the conservative group gets its way, lawmakers shouldn’t expect too much quiet time during their break before the Legislature convenes next month.

“Typically, lawmakers think they can escape the pressures of calls from their constituents to do what is right over the holidays,” AFP-FL Director Chris Hudson said. “They are wrong if they think their actions will escape taxpayers’ attention this year.”

“In 2016, lawmakers should oppose any and all proposals to use taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars to prop up Tallahassee’s crony special interests,” Hudson continued.

The group launched an ad and Web page attacking Gov. Rick Scott’s $250 million economic incentives plan Monday. The site allows constituents to contact their legislator via email asking them to oppose the plan, known as the Florida Enterprise Fund.

“The only things that should be stuffed this holiday season are your turkey and your friends and family at the dinner table; not the pockets of special interests with Governor Scott’s $250 million corporate welfare package,” the site reads.

Scott has been beating the drum for increased incentives funding, which AFP-FL calls “corporate welfare stocking stuffers,” at every opportunity leading up to the 2016 Legislative Session.

Officials say the $250 million funding level for the Florida Enterprise Fund would last three years though Scott has also asked for changes to streamline the approval process for million dollar deals. Under his plan, only the governor, House Speaker and Senate President would have to sign off on contracts worth more than $1 million, rather than the entire Legislature.

AFP-FL said the ad will run through the holiday season. The full text of the email:

“As a Florida resident, a constituent in your district, and an Americans for Prosperity activist, I urge you to oppose Governor Scott’s $250 million incentive package during the upcoming legislative session.

Special carve-outs and corporate welfare are not what our country and state were founded upon. Studies have proven that when government picks winners and losers, promises fall short. These handouts don’t produce the return on investment that we, as taxpayers, deserve.

Will you decide to support wasteful incentive spending programs, or will you stand up for us by focusing on the real needs of our community?