Florida public-employee unions fighting budget cuts face a tough public-relations battle as word spreads that government workers in the state earn an average of $9,009 more than their private-sector counterparts.

A USA Today analysis shows that the average salary and benefit package for government workers in Florida -- including teachers -- is $58,749. The private-sector average is $49,740.

Gray Swoope, who headed up the Mississippi Development Agency under Gov. Haley Barbour, was named on Monday to head Enterprise Florida.

Enterprise Florida is a public-private partnership between the state government and business and looks to promote economic development across the Sunshine State.

Barbour, whose name has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, offered strong words of praise for Swoope.

Medicaid will be on center stage on Capitol Hill on Wednesday when Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, the chairman of the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee under the umbrella of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will examine how fraud impacts the program -- and how much it costs taxpayers.