I am following Governor Rick Scott on Twitter and I found this:
Rick Scott @ScottforFlorida
Coca-Cola is investing $99 million to expand its production facility in Auburndale, adding 60 new jobs. Read more: bit.ly/rPX1Je RT!
It links to his government webpage. You can read the whole article here.
12/21/2011 AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Governor Rick Scott announced that Coca-Cola Refreshments is investing $99 million to expand its Main Street juice production facility in Auburndale. The expansion also includes adding 60 new jobs in Polk County with an average compensation above both the county and state averages.
I should confess that I really like Coca-Cola products, although I have cut down on consumption to keep my self healthy. Every now and then I will indulge on a rum & Coke. Coming from the Cuban community, it's blasphemy to drink it without a piece of lime.
I also don't have any problems with Coca-Cola doing this. I am actually happy for the 60 people in Auburndale who really need the work. I understand that there will be construction jobs as well.
Let me just say that Rick Scott is peddling the idea that corporations create jobs so that we don't need the government for that sort of thing. This is the same guy who turned down $2.4 billion for high-speed rail.
RICK SCOTT, the newly elected Republican governor of Florida, made national headlines this week when he announced plans to reject $2.4 billion in federal money intended for the construction of a high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando.
Mr Scott worries about cost overruns and long-term operating costs. Those are legitimate concerns. But in the short run, the governor's decision probably wasn't the best for Florida's economy—the federal money would bring spending and jobs to the state. So it's unsurprising that other Sunshine State politicians, including Jeb Bush, the former governor and younger brother of former president George W. Bush, criticized Scott's actions.
I work in engineering in Miami-Dade County. I've seen many of the guys who sweat in the sun for little more than minimum wage if even that. This construction project will probably take about six to twelve months. I could be wrong, but that's not the point. These will only be temporary jobs.
Last year, my family's business benefited from a client getting the privilege of a stimulus project in the Keys. I got to work 10 weeks at full-time and it was the first time in a while that had happened. Another guy at the company got the work because he needed the work more than I did. I was OK with that.
The real benefit of stimulus projects for roadwork is that it steadily employs construction workers in various towns. Sometimes temp-workers are hired, but even for them, it's a brief relief from this economy.
I really want to see the Democrats take back the House and as much of the Senate as possible so that we can have more stimulus jobs along with another term for President Obama. Moreover, I hope to see a political awakening in the country followed by Paul Krugman-style economic plans.
Guess what, Governor? Federal spending in the amount of $2.4 billion makes more of a difference for more people than $99 million with regards to projects. I can't wait for Rick Scott to get booted in 2014.
I have the good fortune to write this while I'm on a family vacation. I'll finish with what my Republican mother said about spending $99 million dollars for sixty people.
"That's not a lot of jobs."
5:51 AM PT: $99,000,000 divided by 60 is $1,650,000, as in $1.65 million per job if anyone wants to use that metric.