Progress Florida joined both Integrity Florida and the Tea Party Network in calling on Enterprise Florida, the state’s public/private economic development agency, to delay hefty bonuses for top staff.
Progress Florida joined both Integrity Florida and the Tea Party Network in calling on Enterprise Florida, the state’s public/private economic development agency, to delay hefty bonuses for top staff. As Gary Fineout reported:
“Enterprise Florida was created by the Legislature and is primarily funded with taxpayer dollars, the organization’s board seems to have forgotten that,” said Dan Krassner, executive director of a group called Integrity Florida.
Integrity Florida joined with the Tea Party Network and Progress Florida in asking Scott and other state elected officials to delay any vote on executive bonuses. The letter questions the criteria, including counting jobs that have been promised instead of actually created.
Swoope, who has an office next to Scott’s, has a base salary of $225,000 a year.
Earlier this year, Integrity Florida released a major report shining a spotlight on Enterprise Florida’s questionable practices and numerous conflicts of interest, including:
- Enterprise Florida’s most recent legislative agenda prioritized confidentiality measures.
- Corporate seats on the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors are offered for $50,000.
- Enterprise Florida board member companies receive Enterprise Florida tax incentives.
- Enterprise Florida board member companies serve as Enterprise Florida vendors.
- Enterprise Florida does not publicly notice all board meetings.
- Enterprise Florida does not provide board and committee meeting materials online.
- Despite being the fourth largest state, Florida ranked just 12th in the U.S. for new facilities and expansions in 2011.
- A company that received Enterprise Florida tax incentives is responsible for calculating the return on investment (ROI) of the incentives for Enterprise Florida.
- Enterprise Florida awarded contracts worth nearly $6,000,000 in 2011 to confidential companies.
- The only company Enterprise Florida granted incentives awards to that was “not in a targeted industry” was Wal-Mart Stores East, LP with agreements for $360,000 and $420,000 in 2011.
Furthermore, Enterprise Florida’s actual track record of creating jobs leaves much to be desired. Below, find the joint letter sent to Gov. Scott and the cabinet.