Scott plans to deliver that stinging message Thursday when he is scheduled to address the board of directors of Enterprise Florida Inc., the state’s economic development agency that is meeting in Ponte Vedra Beach.
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“Florida is continuing to break the mold by setting record breaking trends that prove our state leads the way in hospitality and tourism”, said Carol Dover, Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Public Affairs Committee and President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association.
In October of 2012, Enterprise Florida was contacted by a company that was planning a move to Southwest Florida.
Republican legislators contend Enterprise Florida did not need that much because it has not been spending all the money it’s gotten in recent years.
A current finances doc ready by the Legislature states that since 2009, greater than $37 million has been returned to the state as a result of it wasn’t spent.
The state is on track to see a record number of visitors this year. Many times the state matches local incentives offered by cities and counties as part of a deal to convince a company to relocate or expand in Florida.
The group said the bonuses are paid with private funds, not tax money.
Johnson had warned legislators earlier this yr that they weren’t offering sufficient cash for the group however a few of his feedback drew the ire of Republican legislators in command of his price range. “It’s pretty frustrating”, Scott told members of Enterprise Florida, the public-private group that directs economic development efforts. He stated these tasks would create eight, 000 further jobs.
Estimates also show that 21.9 million domestic visitors traveled to Florida in the second quarter of 2015, reflecting a 6.8 percent increase over the year.
More important, Scott said the money isn’t enough as the state seeks to attract companies such as General Electric to help ease Florida’s dependence on tourism, real estate and construction. Scott first ran in 2010 on a platform of job creation and has made it one of his top priorities while in office.
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Rick Scott is defending the use taxpayer money to pay a hefty legal settlement, but there are questions about whether his administration was transparent in how it got the money. “We know tourism marketing works and we have Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature to thank for their unparalleled support that has put us well on our way to making Florida the No. 1 travel destination in the world”. “I don’t want to go through another recession where we lose 800,000 some jobs”. Johnson said that if the state could immediately close on every deal now being worked on, it would be $45 million short.
