Members of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus chided Gov. Rick Scott again on Wednesday for failing to hire black administrators and not providing dollars for most historically black colleges.
Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, said Scott has hired only two black division directors for his administration. No blacks have been included in the ranks of agency heads or other high-level staff brought on by the governor in his first six weeks in office, Siplin said.
“This is not something that we are proud of, nor reflects the composition of this state,” Siplin said.
The 24-member caucus said it has established an e-mail address to solicit resumes of black candidates seeking posts within the administration, along with contact information for individuals and minority companies interested in seeking state contracts. The address: [email protected].
Siplin said unemployment within the minority community is far outstripping the state’s 12 percent level, and that Scott should display sensitivity to jobless Floridians even as he is seeking to overhaul Medicaid, state pensions, and other programs.
While caucus members praised Scott for selecting Jennifer Carroll as the state’s first black lieutenant governor, Siplin said the governor had “catching up to do.” “He’s behind, way behind” in minority hiring, Siplin said.
Scott also has drawn criticism for recommending elimination of traditional state funding for private colleges and universities. Struggling historically black schools such as Bethune-Cookman University and Florida Memorial College were zeroed out of Scott’s spending plan, although one institution – Edward Waters College – would draw $1.8 million. The Jacksonville college is near the legislative district formerly represented by Carroll, although caucus members said the lieutenant governor had lobbied for full-funding of black colleges.
Scott spokesman Brian Burgess said, “The governor will hire the best qualified applicants, period.”
