Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Rick Scott sounded notes of cooperation Tuesday as they opened the legislative session, vowing to cut taxes, spur economic growth and put the infighting that defined 2015 behind them.
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“We’ve been doing this for what?” Scott said “no” and instead said that the only way to have money for tax cuts in the future is to grow the economy now.
When he first ran for governor in 2010, Scott promised to create those 700,000 on top of the 1 million jobs state economists predicted Florida would add by 2017, no matter what policies came out of Tallahassee. “We are the voters, and believe me, 2016 is here”.
In opening day remarks, Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, both made references to the grueling and contentious past year. He also is expected to make a push to set aside tens of millions to lure new companies to Florida.
“We must not confuse our principles with our preferences, for if we simply insist on ‘our way or the highway, ‘ we will fail the people of Florida”, Crisafulli said.
Scott is pressing lawmakers hard to meet his $1 billion tax cut goal. Scott also wants to cut sales taxes on commercial leases by 1 percent, and permanently eliminate the tax charged on the sale of manufacturing equipment.
“If you live in Scott world, his Florida of mansions and yachts and private jets, yes, he most certainly has”, she said.
“I think it’s a sign that tells me he isn’t opposed to the policy”, said Hudson, R-Naples.
This week on Florida Matters (Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 17 7:30 a.m.), we will bring you highlights of Scott’s address, along with part of the Democratic response.
Democrats, meanwhile, slammed Scott and Republicans for catering to large corporations’ bottom lines at the expense of spending on education, health care and reducing the wait list for disabled persons in need of state services.
Balancing tax cuts with the needs of the state is key, said Sen. Medicaid expansion won’t be on anyone’s agenda, but the pot of Medicaid money at the center of last year’s budget breakdown – the Low Income Pool – will make an encore appearance as the Legislature grapples with how to help fund hospitals that could lose a $400 million source of funding.
The Legislature barely met the June 30 deadline for passing a state budget, held three costly special sessions and was found to have violated the state Constitution twice – for the House’s premature adjournment in April and for violating anti-gerrymandering provisions in the drawing of congressional and Senate districts.
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Scott used that statistic to warm up state legislators before asking for a billion dollars in tax cuts aimed at small business owners.
