Scott declares $85M ‘growth fund’ now open for business

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday said his administration is now accepting applications for a new $85 million growth fund designed to pay for infrastructure projects and jobtraining programs.

Local governments, colleges and universities can apply for grants from the fund through the Department of Economic Opportunity, which posted the application forms to its website.

“We are competing against other states and countries for new jobs, and we must aggressively fight to make Florida the best destination for business,” Scott said in a released statement. “I am proud to announce that DEO and EFI [Enterprise Florida, Inc.] are now accepting proposals for the fund, and I encourage Florida communities to apply today.”

The fund was not initially included in the budget passed by lawmakers but was part of a later deal between Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who refused to approve taxpayer funds for incentive deals that benefit only one company.

Scott had pushed hard for $85 million in incentives but reached a compromise with Corcoran to use money from vetoed projects to pay for the growth fund.

“This fund will free up the governor to cut through unnecessary bureaucracy, regulation, and red tape to improve infrastructure and education leading to greater job growth and opportunity for all Floridians,” Corcoran said in a released statement.

Democrats, though, have criticized the fund as a “slush fund” because lawmakers didn’t set out standards for how proposals are to be evaluated, They also have deemed it unnecessary, since the state already has programs to pay for roads, bridges and job training projects.

Although the money can’t go directly to a single company, it is already part of Scott’s pitch to businesses to move to Florida. He mentioned it on a trip to Connecticut last month as a reason for companies to head to the Sunshine State.