Haridopolos to Scott: Redo incentive proposal
Senate President Mike Haridopolos urged Gov. Rick Scott on Monday to make a better sales pitch on his idea to gain control of millions of dollars in economic incentive money for businesses looking to relocate in Florida.
Scott included in his $65.9 billion budget proposal a plan to more than double the size of spending in his own office as part of a push to assume a greater role as business recruiter for Florida. The Republican governor wants lawmakers to form a new economic development agency under his control, while also giving him sole authority over tax-and-financial incentives dangled before companies looking to move to Florida or expand within the state. Most of these incentives currently must be approved by the Legislative Budget Commission, which the governors staff says can cause critical delays. Haridopolos, though, said he remains unconvinced, but stopped short of calling Scotts bid dead on arrival before lawmakers. I think hes got to make a very compelling case, Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said of the Scott proposal. As far as the LBC, I think youve got a checks and balances issue there, pretty clearly But if hes got some deals he wants to close, I think were willing to meet more often. We want to streamline. Haridopolos said he is wary of giving Scott autonomy over incentive cash that now is scattered across seven public-private partnerships and 16 other programs, including the frequently used Quick Action Closing Fund. I just dont want to base a policy on hope, Haridopolos said. I want to base a policy on, this is what our plan is, this is how were going to execute it, and this is how were going to be held accountable.' We want to make sure the governors office is very accountable.
Survey shows Floridians fed up
Close to half of Floridians surveyed say the state is worse off than it was five years ago, while one-in-five say they are seriously considering moving elsewhere, a new poll by Leadership Florida shows. The survey of 1,220 Floridians was conducted last month by the Nielsen Company for Leadership Florida, an arm of the state Chamber of Commerce. It found that 69 percent of Floridians believe business community leaders rarely do whats right for the state. Another 65 percent said state government wastes taxpayers dollars. About three-fourths of those polled gave fair or poor marks to the performance of the state and federal government, while 65 percent gave similar grades to county government. The public is very wearisome of the slow economic recovery, and the high frustration level of Floridians is impacting their opinion of government at every level, said Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida political scientist. At the same time, people have an expectation of what they want the governor and the Legislature to do: to create jobs and remove major barriers to doing business in the state of Florida, she added. Floridians gave Gov. Rick Scott a mixed message in the survey. While 52 percent of Floridians supported firing ineffective teachers, a signature issue for Scott, only 3 percent of Floridians believe tax relief should be the governors top priority. Scott has championed a $2 billion tax cut for property owners and businesses. While Scott also campaigned heavily on cracking-down on illegal immigration, only 1 percent of respondents said that should command the governors focus this year.
Scott appoints Conner to 4th DCA
Gov. Rick Scott on Monday appointed a St. Lucie County Circuit judge to the 4th District Court of Appeal after being rebuffed last month when he asked for more candidates for the job. On Monday, Scott appointed Judge Burton Conner, 58, to the appellate court, saying the 19th Circuit Judge had the right stuff for the job. Judge Conner represents the values and judicial conservatism I am looking for in our judges, Scott said in a statement. Primarily a criminal court judge for most of the past 15 years, he has demonstrated a judicial philosophy that makes him unlikely to overstep the role of the judiciary. In January, Scott requested that the Judicial Nominating Commission send him more than the four names it submitted to succeed Judge Gary Farmer, who resigned from the spot late last year. The nine-member commission met, considered the governors request and then sent him back the same list of four nominees it approved initially. The four nominees for the 4th DCA in addition to Conner were Judge Peter D. Blanc, the chief judge of the 15th Judicial Circuit; Judge Jack Schramm Cox, a 15th circuit judge; and Judge Elizabeth T. Maass, also a 15th circuit court judge.
Death rate down for infants
Floridas infant mortality rate is dropping, the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions announced Monday. The group released findings from the National Center for Health Statistics Infant Mortality Report that showed the infant mortality rate dropped from 7.2 percent in 2008 to 6.9 percent in 2009. A decrease to 6.9 [percent] is great, said former state Sen. Durrell Peaden, R-Crestview, who is also a physician. Healthy Start officials attributed some of the decrease to more community education for expectant mothers and a decrease in pre-term births.
Everglades big piece of Corps funding in Obama budget
The ongoing restoration of the Everglades would be the largest continuing construction project in the Army Corps of Engineers' spending plan in President Barack Obamas proposed budget released Monday. The South Florida ecosystem restoration program, which includes Everglades restoration work, would get $163 million under the proposal. Another ongoing Army Corps of Engineers project, seepage control at the Herbert Hoover Dike on Lake Okeechobee, is budgeted for $85 million. Overall, the Corps Civil Works program budget would be $4.6 billion under the plan, offset by $57 million in cancelled prior year spending.
