Gov. Rick Scott is in The Villages today, making a "major budget announcement," according to his press shop: A plan to save $1 billion over two years by eliminating regulations, duplication of government services and inefficiencies.
None of the details are spelled out in the 246 words of press release, which note that the Department of Community Affairs will ceded regulatory powers to other agencies (unnamed). The Department of Health will cede regulation of "drugs, devices and cosmetics" to the Department of Business and Professional Regulations, which in turn will give up alcohol-tax collections to the state's tax-collection agency, the Department of Revenue.
How this all adds up to $500 million a year in savings is yet to be seen. Scott unveils his budget Feb. 7.
Meantime, Scott has one believer: Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, who said the real savings can be found in ensuring that DCA, the Department of Environmental Protection and the state's water-management districts "streamline" the permitting process.
Scott and Bennett are think that by allowing private industry to skirt environmental regulations at the expense of the health of our citizens and environment they can save the State money. This could not be further from the truth. They just want to make it easier to rape our natural resources for the profit of a few select industries. We will be cleaning up the mess made by this Republican onslaught upon the people of Florida for decades to come.
Posted by: Scott is a Crook | February 01, 2011 at 09:03 AM