FLORIDA:Florida’s top business recruiter might face a tough crowd this when he goes before a Senate committee to push Gov. Rick Scott’s desire for more money to entice companies to the state.Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, sent out a memo reaffirming his chamber’s stance that lawmakers have adequately funded Enterprise Florida, a public-private agency that Scott says is running short of recruitment dollars, and saying a current business-incentive program needs to be revamped.
Bill Johnson, appointed earlier this year as president and CEO of Enterprise Florida, is scheduled to appear Wednesday before the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee to discuss the state’s economic-development incentives.Scott on Monday defended the incentive program and his call for more cash to fund it. Enterprise Florida deferred comment to Scott.
Scott also repeated his assertion that Enterprise Florida has just $9 million remaining for recruitment efforts in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2016. Scott, who wants Enterprise Florida be run more as a private company, added that the state money is needed to diversify the economy by adding manufacturing jobs to tourism, real estate and construction.On Aug. 20, Johnson said the $9 million remaining for performance-based deals could be gone in a matter of weeks.
