Announcing that "bold reforms are under way," Gov. Rick Scott delivered his inaugural State of the State address Tuesday night with the declaration: "Our success will be the model for the nation."
Acknowledging boisterous rallies outside the Capitol earlier in the day, the Republican governor said, "Thousands of our fellow Floridians have assembled here in our capital -- some to criticize our budget priorities, and far more to thank us for our willingness to make hard choices."
Scott, a political outsider who took on the state GOP establishment, sounded a Reagan-esque note by saying, "For years, politicians have not dared to face the full extent of our financial problems. Politics prevailed, even when the numbers did not add up.
"All the cans that have been kicked down the road are now piled up in front of us. Floridians have been encouraged to believe that government could take care of us. But government always takes more than it gives back."
The governor reiterated that he will watch state spending "like a hawk."
"On my watch," he pledged, "we will never allow another wasteful project like the 'Taj Mahal' courthouse to slip under the radar."
Burnishing his "Let's Get to Work" theme, and noting the state's 12 percent unemployment rate, Scott said his "jobs budget" is targeted to create private-sector jobs, increase accountability and reduce the size of government.
Drawing on 35 years of experience in the private sector, Scott said his budget "will give Florida a competitive edge in attracting jobs."
Recognizing Dean Minardi, CFO of Bing Energy, Scott reported that the company decided to relocate from California to Tallahassee because of plans to eliminate Florida's corporate income tax.
Pressuring lawmakers who have been cool to the idea of tax cuts amidst a $3.6 billion state budget deficit, Scott said, "Business people in Florida and around the world are watching what we do in the weeks ahead. They can locate anywhere. They will be deciding whether to invest in Florida, based, in part, on our ability to work together to remove the obstacles to business success."
On education, the governor touted reforms -- not more money.
"With so many Floridians out of work, and the exhaustion of one-time federal handouts, Florida educators will face challenges in managing limited resources. But our commitment to positive change must not waver."
Calling for merit-based pay, tenure reforms and an unstinting review of nonclassroom spending, Scott said, "Florida needs to pay the best educators more and end the practice of guaranteeing educators a job for life regardless of their performance."
Additionally, he promoted an expansion of scholarships and charter schools that would give low- and middle-income families alternatives to failing public schools.
Elsewhere, in the face of rising opposition from public employees, Scott vowed to "modernize our state government."
"Florida is currently the only state where taxpayers pay for the entire pension of state workers. We need to secure the states pension system and be fair to the taxpayers of Florida. We will bring Floridas retirement system in line with other states by having government workers contribute toward their own retirement, just like everyone else," he said.
Similarly, the former health-care CEO called for Medicaid reforms, and pledged to work with lawmakers to wring out costs.
"There are ways to save money and provide better care by adopting market principles and giving patients more choice," he said.
Challenging skeptics on both sides of the legislative aisle, Scott defended his budget, which reduces spending by $5 billion while cutting property and corporate taxes by $2 billion.
"Some critics are accustomed to big government and will fight to protect special interests, and there are others who agree on our policy but say that our agenda is too bold -- that we need to trim the sails of our imagination and settle for small improvements. Theyre wrong," he declared.
"I did not fight to become the 45th governor of the greatest state in the nation to settle for a status quo that does not promote the enormous potential of our people. I am completely committed to this mission. It is achievable."
In his biggest applause line of the evening, a buoyant Scott promised: "With no income tax, a phase-out of the business tax, the expansion of the Panama Canal, the expansion of the economies of Central and South America, our beautiful weather, our beaches, the Everglades, world-class theme parks, Florida oranges, our universities and colleges, and the hardest working people in the world, Florida will become the most exciting place to live, work and play."
Hammering home his jobs-first agenda, Scott recognized three more job-generating business leaders:
- Armand Lauzon, president of Chromalloy, an aviation parts manufacturing company that created 400 new jobs in Hillsborough County.
- David Meers, chief operating officer of Vision Airlines, which recently began flying to 23 cities from Destin.
- Rheinhold Schmieding, president of Arthrex, a state-of-the-art medical device manufacturer that plans to create jobs in Southwest Florida.
Summing up, Scott said, "We are a state that has regularly done the impossible. We build magic kingdoms. We launch ships that fly to the moon. Florida can be the place where the American Dream continues to be a reality.
"The world is watching, and God is watching over us. Our success will be the model for the nation."
--
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
