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Politics

Scott Pitches Funds for Statewide Adoptions, Environment in 2018

November 2, 2017 - 12:45pm

The clock is winding down on Gov. Rick Scott’s final year in office, and the two-time Florida governor said Thursday he plans to use the next year to protect the lives of the neediest Floridians. 

Speaking at the Associated Press’ annual legislative planning session in Tallahassee, Gov. Scott told reporters he would be spending the next year pushing the state legislature to funnel money into adoption services and child abuse investigators, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to improve the lives of average Floridians.

Scott is proposing spending $200 million for families who adopt children from foster care in Florida, which his office says will continue post adoption services for more than 37,000 children.

“Every child deserves a loving family and adoptive parents have a unique opportunity to help change a child’s life for the better,” the governor said.

Scott’s push for increased funding is timely -- earlier this week, he declared November “Florida Adoption Month,” pledging to do everything he can to help Florida children and their families.

“I‘m going to spend every dime I can to protect lives,” Scott said.

The governor kicked off the annual legislative planning day at the Capitol, honing in on some of his top priorities for this year’s upcoming legislative session.

Contrary to previous years, Scott did not provide his complete budget recommendations at Thursday’s meeting, something he has done in previous years to provide a full picture of what he’ll be pitching numerically to state lawmakers, who return to Tallahassee in January.

Though he didn’t release specifics, Scott said he wants to spend the next year focusing on increasing state employee salaries and give teachers more money to pay for school supply necessities.

A significant piece of Scott’s 2018 budget will center around environmental issues.

Scott announced a proposal to increase state spending on Florida’s natural resources and the environment by $220 million as part of a $1.7 billion package to improve the quality of the environment in the Sunshine State.

Included in the environmental package is increased funding for state beaches and parks as well as springs. A large chunk of the budget -- $335 million -- would be set aside for Everglades restoration and another $50 million would be pumped into repairing the Herbert Hoover Dike in Lake Okeechobee. 

“Our natural treasures are so important to Florida's economy and tourism industry and the many families that rely on them,” Scott said in a statement.

The governor also set the stage for an upcoming bid for U.S. Senate at Thursday’s AP meeting when he announced he would not be seeking the chairmanship job of the Republican Governor’s Association.

With the RGA chairmanship in the rearview mirror, Scott appears to be moving full speed ahead towards a faceoff against U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat who has represented Florida since 2001. 

 

 


 

 

Comments

trying to buy more votes

Scott is unworthy of the job of Senetor

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