Gov. Rick Scott Visits DEP

Gov. Rick Scott made the rounds of the state Department of Environmental Protection Thursday in Tallahassee, reviewing an agency which he suggested be cut by $148.5 million and 120 employees in his budget proposal.

One area of the DEP budget he didn't cut was the state parks, which Scott said were essential to maintaining Florida's natural beauty.

"No, we've got great parks and we need to make sure we preserve them and take care of them," Scott said after his tour of the DEP.

Scott's budget, however, has come under fire from environmental groups for suggesting cuts to water management districts by as much as 25 percent, saving taxpayers $360 million in property taxes over the next two years. Scott said the districts are just going to have to learn to live with less money.

"If were going to take care of our environment, if we're going to take care of anything we want to focus on in state government, we're going to have to understand that everybody's got to tighten their belt. The water management districts will have to look at how they're doing their job," Scott said.

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