Theyve already got Rick Scott coming but Tea Party activists are now trying to bring the faux ship Dartmouth out of storage to serve as backdrop for the Republican governors budget rollout next week.
Scott confirmed Tuesday that hell unveil his budget proposal almost 200 miles away from the state Capitol at Ferran Park in the Lake County city of Eustis. Hell be joined by what is expected to be several hundred Tea Party activists, the loose-knit collection of conservative activists who formed a core force of Scott backers in last falls elections.
Rick Scott is far more the peoples governor than Charlie Crist ever was, said Tom Gaitens, a co-founder of the Tampa Tea Party and an organizer of Mondays event. Charlie was a product of a party. But Rick is much more part of a movement.
Gaitens said Billie Tucker, head of the Jacksonville First Coast Tea Party group, which hosted Scott rallies last fall featuring a model of the Boston Tea Party ship Dartmouth, is expected to haul the stage prop to Eustis for the afternoon event.
Tea Party leaders said they were encouraged by Scotts move saying it showed the new governor continuing to ally himself with a movement committed to cutting taxes and reducing government spending. They said they welcomed Scotts political statement.
Weve seen in Washington already Republicans saying, thanks for your help getting elected, well see you in 2012, said Henry Kelley, a leader of the Fort Walton Beach Tea Party. But I am curious about what he says in the budget. By joining him, I guess we look like were endorsing his proposal. But I think many of us want to see some real reductions.
Scott appears likely to make good on shrinking Floridas $70 billion spending plan, which he has derided as bloated.
If anything, Scott has drawn his stiffest opposition from fellow Republicans in the Legislature, with House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, and Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, among those saying they dont think its possible to close a budget gap of at least $3.6 billion while also providing the $2 billion in tax cuts Scott is expected to recommend.
Scott appears intent on cutting enough from the budget to reduce property taxes and the states corporate income tax. His proposal unveiled Tuesday to make the 655,000 government workers enrolled in the Florida Retirement System contribute 5 percent of their paychecks to the plan would pull an additional $1.3 billion into the states cash-strapped budget.
Florida Democrats said Scotts homage to the Tea Party was disturbing and distracting the new administration from its state goal of bringing 700,000 jobs to the state over the next seven years.
Rather than focusing on the hard work of governing and working to bring jobs to Florida, Rick Scott continues to show Floridians he is only interested in celebrating his ego with the most extreme part of his political base, said Eric Jotkoff, a Florida Democratic Party spokesman. Since becoming governor, Rick Scott has proven that he is more interested in being a political celebrity rather than being the serious leader Florida needs during these hard economic times.
Jotkoffs reference is to Scotts early Tuesday appearance on Fox & Friends, where he praised aFlorida federal judges ruling clouding the future of President Obamas healthcare overhaul and also previewed his proposed revamping of the state pension plan.
Scott, though, downplayed the political shadings of presenting his 2011-12 spending plan before Tea Party activists.
Im trying my best to get around the state. Im traveling almost every day, Scott said. I talk to all sorts of groups.
