If there’s one thing Gov. Rick Scott claims to stand for, it’s lowering taxes.
In May 2013, Scott boasted about having cut taxes in Florida “24 times.” By May of this year, the number of tax cuts has reached 40, according to tweets sent out by Scott’s campaign.
Leaving aside the dubious accuracy of these claims, which Politico and other fact-checking organizations have explored extensively, it’s clear that Scott wants to portray himself as a fiscally responsible, anti-tax conservative.
Those who believe Scott show a desire to improve the finances of ordinary Floridians might be surprised to hear about his new plans to install toll lanes on Florida’s major highways.
Scott is undertaking this massive infrastructure project, which the Tampa Bay Times says could be the largest in Florida history, without any approval from the legislature or from voters.
Unsurprisingly, one of the motivations behind the creation of these toll lanes is the corrupt ‘crony capitalism’ that has become a hallmark of Scott’s administration.
A report from the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting found that the projects were inspired by studies from the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank that has received funding from major toll-lane developers. These developers stand to earn millions of dollars — if not more — from the toll lanes.
The Times also reported that Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad is a former employee of one of these major developers. During his time as head of the DOT, Prasad has approved billions of dollars in toll-lane projects, including funds that have gone directly to his former employer.
Supporters of the new toll lanes argue that they will make travel more efficient for Floridians. However, it seems unlikely that efficient transit is Scott’s priority, given his recent history with similar infrastructure projects.
In 2011, Scott declined to accept federal funding for high-speed rail projects and argued that the initiative “would be far too costly to taxpayers.” Scott made these claims despite widespread agreement that high-speed rail would have boosted the economy and made faster and more convenient transportation.
Scott did eventually provide tepid support for high-speed rail projects, but only after ensuring that Florida East Coast Industries, a private company with connections to Scott’s former chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth, would be constructing them.
The high-speed rail project, All Aboard Florida, has subsequently applied for a federal loan of $1.5 billion, so Scott’s claims about the unmatched superiority of private enterprise and the free market ring pathetically hollow.
This controversy is just the latest confirmation of what all Floridians should already know: Scott is interested in serving corporations and the wealthy, not Florida voters.
The costs and benefits of particular government initiatives to Florida taxpayers are irrelevant to Scott, so long as his corporate allies and campaign donors reap the ultimate reward. Florida undoubtedly deserves better.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 9/16/2014 under the headline "Scott’s policy on transportation rife with hypocrisy"]
