Governor Scott's Podcast -- 1/14/11

Statement

This week I promoted Florida as the best place in the world for companies to bring their business. Around the world, Florida is known as the Gateway to the Americas.

On Saturday, I met with the Japanese Foreign Minister for International Trade, and together, we announced mutual trade missions in Florida and Japan. I also met with the Consuls General of several European countries and with Canada's Foreign Minister. We discussed opportunities to increase our international trade and bring jobs to the great State of Florida.

As we work to bring businesses to our state, we know we are competing with 49 other states -- and with other countries. As Governor, I will look at other states and learn who is doing a great job of job creation, and then, I'll make sure Florida does it better.

To help us make Florida the state where people want to open their businesses, I signed an Executive Order to put the brakes on job-killing regulation. We are conducting a top-to-bottom review, and we are also looking at all State contracts to make sure we are spending your money in a way that makes sense.

Having great schools will also help us attract businesses to the Sunshine State and make sure we have the best educated workforce. We will measure our teachers and make sure the most effective teachers are paid the most, so they stay in the profession. Our goal should be to set up a system that helps us keep good teachers and get rid of bad ones.

We will also create a system where the funds follow the student, not the program, and where parents have more flexibility to choose their children's education.

I also met with our State Emergency Response Team to ensure we are prepared for the possibility of any disaster. Our emergency responders are the best in the nation, and their rapid and coordinated action can lessen the potential blow to our State's fragile economy.

We are focused every day on our mission here in Tallahassee -- to make Florida the jobs state and to get Floridians back to work.

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