Rick Scott Upset About Minimum Wage Rising 6 Cents but Happy With $30 Million Corporate Tax Cut

By Michael Cohen Wed., May 4 2011 at 11:30 AM

So, our tireless lawmakers finally came to an agreement on the state's budget yesterday. More than anything, it serves as a validation that Gov. Rick Scott is completely clueless. Sen. Mike Fasano actually called Scott clueless a few weeks ago, but he was talking about the governor's plans to eliminate state-funded property insurance even though private insurers admit they can't possibly absorb the entire fallout. Scott has left no shortage of examples to support the assertion that he's clueless, but the state budget is the most glaring. He makes the Legislature look sensible in the same way that Glenn Beck made the rest of Fox seem centrist.

Scott wanted $1.7 billion in tax and fee cuts. And he threatened to veto the budget if he didn't at least get a $458 million corporate tax cut. In the end, he got a total of $308 million in tax relief and a measly little $30 million corporate tax cut. The gap between Scott's proposals and the final budget shows just how far off his vision of governance is from reality.

But Scott was a good sport. He didn't bitch and moan about barely getting an eighth of what he wanted. The reality check still didn't deter his plans to completely scrap the corporate tax, which raises almost $2 billion a year.

"My plan was to phase it out over seven years," Scott told a reporter. "We're still going to get there."

On the same day that he talked about eliminating billions in revenue, the Associated Press reported that Scott was disappointed with a judge's decision to raise Florida's minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to a whopping $7.31 an hour. What nerve! The state Legislature gave him a swift, fiscal kick to the nuts, and as soon as he catches his breath, he has to eat an hourly increase of 6 cents to the minimum wage. With a budget that slashes public school funding by $540 per student, who knows how many future minimum wage workers will make that extra 6 cents an hour. If they put in 40-hour workweeks, they'll earn an extra $128 a year. Shit, that would scare every employer out of Florida forever.

That's Scott's whole argument. Jobs, jobs, jobs. That's what he and most of the state's lawmakers campaigned on. Well, where the hell are these jobs? This entire legislative session was wasted on handjobs to the gun lobby, anti-abortion bills, and targeted disenfranchisement. Why? Because legislating is just another part of endless campaigning.

That's not the only reason. How many jobs were created by trying to implement mandatory drug testing for state employees and welfare recipients? If the measures didn't increase employment, they most probably boosted the value of Solantic, the clinic that Scott sold after the drug-testing frenzy sparked conflict-of-interest speculation. Scott would say only that he sold his stake in Solantic for less than the $62 million he said it was worth during his campaign. Now, I'm no expert on investing in private companies, but if the value of Solantic was already declining, wouldn't the mere possibility of a state contract for massive drug testing add some value to the company? Or do such seasoned businessmen disregard stuff like that?

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Tags:

budget, Legislature, Mike Fasano, public school, Rick Scott, tax cuts

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Gruffolegoat

The Navy SEAL Team raided the wrong Mansion !

Mysticalspiritllc

Douche Bag Rick Tis my new name for this PIECE OF SHIT!!!!!!!!

Markspray

Michael Cohen, you loser. Corporations hire people. They provide jobs and lots of people would love to have a job for $6.00 per hour to help out their families. Minimum wage jobs are not intended to support a family. They are for those wishing to supplement their families income. If you want to make more money, go get a degree or learn a trade. Every tax increase results in fewer jobs. Economics 101 di#%khead.

Maleff

Amazing that Rick Scott was elected Gov., after committing the largest Medicare fraud in history and then becoming Gov. of Florida, I don't have to wonder if the people of Florida are so politically in the dark as many people feel they are. Wake up people in Florida and start voting for the best and most honest candidate no matter what your affiliation may be, you are only cutting your own throat.

GlennCaton

Good points! Sadly, you are about seven months too late. We are now in the conundrum that our neighboring states are in. When you are being victimized by a critical density of self-destructive voters who have gotten addicted to having sunshine blown up their ass, change is unlikely. They have been electing horrifying politicians since the Republicans took charge twelve years ago. They have the WalMart approach to government: "Always the low price". That always is the byproduct of a population that has given up on government as a device that large numbers of people can use to band together and use to build their dream. When you hire others to use your tools, they take over in pursuit of money.

Fyshbyte

This entire legislative session was wasted on handjobs to the gun lobby, anti-abortion bills, and targeted disenfranchisement. Why? Because legislating is just another part of endless campaigning

Nice!

Gsxrdoug1

Rick need too get funds too these citys ,so they can maintane beautiful citys we have and attracted peoeple down here too live

Wes Baggett

Uhhhh, Rick, you won't be around for 7 years.

David benitez

Rick Scott SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED! ...I SMELL SOMETHING DIRTY WITH THIS DUDE!FIRST OF ALL HE'S A REPUBLICAN AND THEY ARE THE WORST OF ALL OF THEM...CORRUPTION IS IN THEIR BLOOD. PEOPLE SHOULD WAKE UP REPUBLICANS AND CORPORATIONS ARE LOVERS...THE REP ARE THE GOLD DIGGERS OBVIOUSLY. WITH THE FRASE ...."less goverment is better" that work best for the corporation and the stupid, ignorant, red neck, hillbilly's, racist don't understand is that it harms them ...if they aren't rich "less goverment" only helps the corporations!!!! but I do have to give them thums up the have the best concept and strategy..LOOK HOW IT WORK FOR THE PEANUT HEAD THAT BELIEVE THEM

Dee

How can we change this, I'll tell you. Stop the fighting between the parties....the Politicians need us to fight each other so we waste time and money, instead of fighting against them. Calling each other names does nothing to change the mess we are in. United we STAND divided we are falling ...fast and hard. The Politicians don't want to come together and work things out so WE THE PEOPLE need to. WE are many....they are few.....let's take down

Glenncaton

Sadly, Dee, most of the voters have given up on the political process and have decided to vote for the candidates most likely to leave them alone and not raise their taxes. Neither party has made any real movement to restrict imports from sweatshop countries. Neither is making any motion to fix or even acknowledge the total inadequacy of wages. When the average worker is making enough to take care of their needs, they will no longer require a barrage of support. They will be paying more taxes and the local, state, and federal deficits will disappear.

Right now, we are all paying to try and maintain unsustainable profits and returns for corporations. Rates of return of more than 8% have not been sustainable for more than 300 years, and they are not sustainable now. We must require that more than 70% of everything that is sold here is made here. We must limit all profits and returns to less than 8% by taxing all profit and return on investment that exceeds 8% at a rate of 100%.

The problem we face is greed and fear. I think we will be more successful at remedying greed than fear.

Youandme5539

If he does get rid of Citizens insurance,, I am screwed. There isn't one insurance company that will insure my type of home...This man need not go for a second term....

Sarasand

He is evil. I'm still angry with the Dems and Independents who skipped the election and made this weasel Governor.

Ben Jarvis1

facebook group Impeach Rick Scott Now! join!

Clubblah2

I agree with the bone head on only one thing, all welfare recipients should be drug tested. If you can afford to by drugs you can afford to feed yourself. I have had drug addicts attempt to sell me their food stamps outside of grocery stores so that they could use the money to purchase alcohol or drugs.

Dmcleod15

Most of those people are buying alcohol. Which is of course legal, so what good would a drug test do? If you know you're going to have to take a drug test you can easily detoxify in a short period of time. I think drug testing is just a waste of money that only serves to line the pockets of people like the freak (Scott).

guest

Agreed, and there's no way of proving that just because someone did drugs and it showed up on a test that they a) do it all the time and b) that they even paid for it themselves.

Glenncaton

When will these idiots learn? We do not want to attract any more jobs that require local, state, and federal subsidies for inadequate wages. We can't keep paying to subsidize people who have gotten toasted on crappy jobs. We already have nine million too many victims of small business living here now! I want to make it difficult to come here and get into business. You have to pay adequate wages, provide quality housing for your employees along with first class health care. You have to clean up your mess. You have to contribute to your community. You have to train your own employees. You have to post surety bonds that guarantee that you will stay in business for the rest of your life. You have to bear liability for the actions of your business and employees. Cheap costs of business is what attracts opportunists like Scott and the rest of the irresponsible "entrepreneurs" that the people of this State are currently suffering from. Florida are you tired of "The Low Price Always" YET?