During the campaign, Gov. Rick Scott attended a Jacksonville tea party rally on Oct. 30, 2010. (Photo by Shealah Craighead.)
By Ralph De La Cruz
Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
Today is B-Day in Florida.
And no, I’m not talking B as in birthday. That’s not until next month.
Today is Budget Day, when Gov. Rick Scott unveils his budget recommendations for Florida.
And rarely has a budget been awaited with so much anticipation.
That’s because there’s a gap — forget Grand Canyon-size, think Mariana Trench proportions – between Scott’s campaign promises and 2011 realities.
For example, despite a projected shortfall upwards of $4 billion, Scott has stubbornly refused to drop his campaign pledge for $2 billion in tax cuts.
He has promised to create 700,000 jobs (above and beyond an expected 1 million jobs that economists believe will naturally occur as the state recovers from the national recession). And yet, his strategy thus far has been to advocate cutting five percent of state jobs.
Today, we’ll see if Scott has a plan, or just an ideology.
And two things do not bode well for 2011 reality versus campaign smoke-and-mirrors.
First, Scott says he wants to implement a two-year budget. Which any person with a passing interest knows is a clever (but unconstitutional) way of putting off today’s problems.
Second, he’s going to deliver his budget not at a gathering of economists or state leaders but at a tea party rally. That does not portend well for reality.
At least a growing number of folks in this state, which experienced its first population boom as a result of the sale of swampland to unsuspecting investors, seem to be onto Scott’s shell game.
Just check out the comments section that accompanied this Tampa Tribune article:
- “Oh OH! CEO Tilted Head wants to have two sets of books for the state of Florida, just like he had back at Columbia HCA.”
- “Ok, he needs to create 8,300+ jobs per month to meet his promise. There were only some 38,000 jobs created nation wide in January. Do we really think he will do this by letting state workers go, refusing rail, and cutting programs? If you believe this, I have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you!”
- “Give him 2 years and he’ll sink the state. It would mean that the state wouldn’t know how bad things were for a long time giving them limited options to make the shortfall.”
- “Just look at Texas and their hidden shortfall in revenue. Since they won’t raise taxes all their programs are getting cut beyond the bone more to the heart.”
- “why do all the articles on Scott’s budget always fail to mention that Florida had a balanced budget amendment it its constitution? there is a $3.6 – 4.6 billion shortfall, a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget, and he wants to cut taxes??? All of those things together are impossible! I repeat, impossible!!! Unless, of course, you blatantly ignore the state constitution. Rick Scott just thinks he can make stuff up as he chooses. This guy is a disaster already – and has only been in office for one month.”
- “The Miracle Worker at work. It takes zero talent to say ‘Cut Spending, Cut Taxes.’”
- “I hope the 48% who put Scott at the controls packed their own parachutes!”
The first page of comments did not have a single endorsement of Scott’s proposals (which is probably why he’s presenting his budget in front of the adoring cut-taxes-at-any-cost tea party set). The closest thing to a comment of support was: “I’m willing to give this more time … he’s just begun in this role. I think beating him up is a little premature.”
My personal favorite: “Ya’ll are screwed.”
Should be an interesting presentation.
Just hope B-Day doesn’t turn into Florida’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.