Scott criticizes House over Visit Florida

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday criticized House leaders over a budget proposal for the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida.

The House this week proposed providing $25 million to the agency, $51 million less than what Scott and the Senate are seeking.

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Scott said the House, which also wants to abolish the economic-development agency Enterprise Florida, is "ignoring" Floridians.

"Over and over again, politicians in the House have failed to understand that Florida is competing for job creation projects against other states and countries across the globe," Scott said in a prepared statement.

House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who considers business-incentives "corporate welfare," has attributed the growth in Florida's tourism to an improvement in the economy and people having more disposable income.

The House has already voted (HB 7005) to eliminate Enterprise Florida, an agency that the Senate has proposed to receive more than $80 million next fiscal year.

Scott has been holding "roundtables" across the state with local business leaders to call out House members who voted for the bill to kill Enterprise Florida.

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