Florida spent nearly $6,000 on radio ad ripping California

Florida taxpayers wound up spending nearly $6,000 for a radio ad that criticized California’s decision to increase the minimum wage to $15.

The state’s economic development agency on Friday released a final figure on how much it cost to produce and run radio ads in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Stephen Lawson, a spokesman for Enterprise Florida, said the total was $5,747.

Florida aired the ads ahead of a three-day trade mission by Gov. Rick Scott to California. The ads contended that a new law gradually raising the Golden State’s minimum wage would result in large job losses.

Scott’s visit triggered a harsh response from California Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown sent a letter to Scott where he urged the governor to stop his “silly political stunts.”

Republished with permission of The Associated Press.