Gov. Rick Scott Pledges $77 Million for Miami Port Dredging

In an effort to get the Miami Port ready to accept larger ships ahead of the widening of the Panama Canal in 2014, Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday that he plans to use $77 million in state funds to make up the shortfall needed to dredge the port.

Joined by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, David Rivera, and Colombian Ambassador Gabriel Silva, Scott said the project to dredge the port to at least 50 feet of depth will help create 30,000 jobs. The move will undoubtedly be compared to Scott's decision to not use state funds (or even accept federal funds) for the state's high-speed rail project, which needed an additional $300 million in state or private funding to complete. Scott said the dredging project will prove to be a more fruitful endeavor than the high-speed rail.

This is the type of infrastructure project that will pay permanent, long-term dividends, and provide a solid return on investment for Floridas taxpayers, Scott said.