Legislators express jobs, education concerns with Scott

Gov.-elect Rick Scott was in Tampa today to meet with legislators and gather from them their goals for his upcoming term.

The responses he received, as one would expect, focused largely on jobs and education.

Seated at the center of a U-shaped table configuration at the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore, Scott opened the floor up to more than a dozen legislators who lauded his emphasis on creating jobs in Florida - a major component of Scott's gubernatorial campaign -- but also ticked off ideas that might help stimulate the state's economy.

State Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, said taxing Internet sales is one way the state could bolster small businesses.

"If small businesses could compete with the Internet, where would Florida be?" Rouson said.

State Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, pointed out the need to ease regulations on small businesses, sharing a frustration faced at her husband's landscaping business. For example, she said the price for all the engineering and other costs involved with getting a sign approved - not the sign itself - is $800.

"Regulations are smothering small business," she said.

"You might be able to look at this and perhaps issue an executive order to suspend hyper regulations," she told Scott.

Storms also pressed the governor to deregulate the price of gas in Florida.

Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St.Petersburg, said he thinks the state has "thus far missed the boat" on expanding into green energy, which could spur job creation.

Scott questioned how many people would be willing to pay more for sources of energy such as solar and nuclear.

When the conversation wasn't centered on the economy and jobs, it often turned to education, an area that evoked some of the morning's most impassioned comments. Several of the legislators offered their opinions on why Senate Bill 6, which would have overhauled teacher pay and contracts, failed earlier this year.

Rouson said he thought the intentions of the bill were on target, but expressed his desire to make teachers a part of the conversation in future education debates.

That point obviously touched a nerve for Scott, who said he often talked to teachers while on the campaign trail.

"I told them that teachers ought to come up with a bill they support," he said.

He then asked the assembled legislators how many teachers have responded to that request.

"Zero," he said, making the numeral with his fingers and thumb.

"We have to listen to them but they have to come up with how they want to be measured."

State Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, questioned Scott's plan to dramatically expand the state's education voucher system by providing private school vouchers for all students. She pointed out the state constitution calls for quality public education.

"How is it that you intend to mandate high-quality public education?" she asked.

Scott didn't respond.

Other issues discussed included streamlining the state's budget, which could potentially help pull the state out of a $3.5 billion deficit.

Rep. Richard Glorioso, R-Plant City, said eliminating overlap in state operations is one way to control spending. He pointed out what he'd seen during his work with the Department of Transportation as an example.

"There is so much redundancy in the state. We have seven transportation districts within the state that all operate differently," he said. Multiple districts mean added work for contractors and added cost to the state.

After the meeting, Scott addressed reporters' questions on high-speed rail, saying he wants to study the issue to make sure of its feasibility. He also addressed the budget issue, but didn't offer specific cuts he'd like to see made. He said he'll be looking at how the state spends its money and said he wants to take a close look at the Department of Corrections.

In the lobby after Scott left the hotel, Joyner said she would have liked to have more back-and-forth engagement from the soon-to-be governor.

"That would have been helpful, but he said he wanted ideas from us," she said.