Sen. President Mike Haridopolos, quite correctly, has sent Gov. Rick Scott back to the drawing board, asking that he sets out clearly why the governor would like to gain control of million of dollars in economic incentive money, for businesses desirous of relocating to Florida.
Currently, incentives granted to companies are approved by the Legislative Budget Commission (LBC), but Scott would like the sole authority over tax-and financial incentives to dangle before companies looking to move to Florida.
Scott included in his $65.9 billion budget proposal last week, a plan that would more than double the size of spending in his own office, as part of a push to assume a great role as business recruiter for Florida.
Haridopolos said, he is is not convinced of Scott’s proposal, but stopped short of calling it dead on arrival before lawmakers.
“I think he (Scott) has got to make a very compelling case,” Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said of the Scott proposal. “As far as the LBC, I think you’ve got a checks and balances issue there, pretty clearly…But if he’s got some deals he wants to close, I think we’re willing to meet more often. We want to streamline.”
Haridopolos said he is wary, as he should, 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 think he’s got to make a very compelling case,” Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said of the Scott proposal. “As far as the LBC, I think you’ve got a checks and balances issue there, pretty clearly…But if he’s got some deals he wants to close, I think we’re willing to meet more often. We want to streamline.”
The News Service of Florida
