Score one for open business collars.
Senate negotiators on Monday withdrew the $1.5 million line item they had backed all weekend to help fund the new Enterprise Florida business brand that features an orange men’s necktie as the “i” in the word Florida.
The House had been opposed from the start to any allocation to the new branding logo for the state’s public-private economic development agency, as talks continue over the $11.2 billion funding for economic projects and infrastructure needs.
The brand has drawn some heat for neglecting women by featuring a symbol of male business attire. The brand, introduced in January, would be accompanied by the tagline “Florida. The Perfect Climate for Business.”
Enterprise Florida has proposed a $4.5 million campaign aimed at attracting businesses to Florida using the tie. When the new brand was introduced in January, the proposal was to use $3 million in state dollars, with $1.5 million from private contributions.
