Gov. Rick Scott is ramping up his all-out war with the Florida House of Representatives to television airwaves -- next week, the governor will air an ad slamming state lawmakers for voting to kill state public-private agencies Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida.
Scott paints a picture of out-of-touch politicians who don’t care about jobs in the 30-second spot.
“The politicians in Tallahassee don’t get it,” Scott says in the ad. “They don’t understand how jobs are created.”
The governor warns viewers Florida could suffer if the House gets its way and ends the twin agencies.
“If politicians in Tallahassee say they don’t want to market our state and we lose tourists, then we are going to lose jobs,” Scott continues.
Even losing two percent of jobs, Scott contends, would be dangerous for the state, resulting in a loss of 28,000 jobs.
The ad is being run through Scott’s political committee, Let’s Get to Work, which created a similar ad attacking Speaker Richard Corcoran for spearheading dual legislation to end what he sees as ineffective programs amounting to nothing but “government waste.”
Scott’s political consultant Melissa Stone told Sunshine State News the ad buy would be “significant,” but did not offer details on where the ad would run.
“It will be a substantial buy going around the state,” she told SSN.
The new television spot is just another tool the governor is using to criticize House representatives for voting against his signature economic incentive programs. For over a month, Scott has traveled around the state on a “Fighting for Florida Jobs” tour, making stops in cities where lawmakers have voted against Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida.
Both programs have been key to Scott’s narrative since he became governor in 2010, especially Enterprise Florida, which incentivizes companies to bring their business to the Sunshine State.
Stone told SSN the message was simple: Florida needs to continue to foster its growing economy and keep jobs in the state.
“The governor is going to fight for jobs in Florida,” she said. “[We are] making sure that message gets out there.”
While Scott takes to television airwaves, a dark cloud has descended over his pride and joy agencies. On Friday, the House overwhelmingly approved a plan to abolish Enterprise Florida and green lighted another bill to significantly cut the state’s tourism agency, Visit Florida.
Scott, furious after the vote, said legislators were “decimating” Florida’s economic toolkit by sending EFI to its grave.
“A vote for [those] bills was a vote to kill tourism and jobs in Florida,” he said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Corcoran continues to ride on into the battle to eliminate the programs. Sunshine State News contacted the Speaker’s office for comment, but he had not responded at the time of this article’s release.
View the video below.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
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