A.G. Gancarski
Florida Gov. Rick Scott sounded the alarm Thursday evening — again — on a bill that is the bane of his existence this session: HB 7005.
“Tomorrow, members of the Florida House of Representatives will vote on HB 7005, a bill which eliminates a large majority of Florida’s economic development and jobs programs. The State of Florida relies heavily on these programs to diversify and strengthen our economy by attracting targeted industries and good, high-paying jobs that improve the lives of Florida families,” read a press release from his office.
Scott’s releases itemized the long list of incentive programs on the chopping block: Enterprise Florida, Inc, the Florida Defense Alliance, the Florida Small Business Development Center Network, the Quick Response Training Program, the Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research, the Capital Investment Tax Credit, the Quick Action Closing Fund, and dozens of others.
As well, Scott provided a helpful chart indicating newly-recalcitrant members of the Florida House who had voted for incentive programs in the past.
Paul Renner, the chart noted, voted for HB 7067, an economic development bill, in 2015.
Speaker Richard Corcoran supported seven economic development bills between 2011 and 2015.
Rep. Clay Ingram, meanwhile, supported eight economic incentive bills between 2011 and 2016.
Gov. Scott may be a lame duck, and political rivals may want to get to his right.
But as this press release indicates, Gov. Scott isn’t going to let his incentive programs go without a fight.
Expect the material in this press release to be used and re-used by the governor against members of the Florida House who are taking direct aim at his legacy as the “jobs governor.”
