Tallahassee, FL — Today, Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith released the following statement on Florida’s unemployment numbers and Governor Rick Scott’s failed economic policies.

“Governor Rick Scott’s Tea Party agenda is moving our state in the wrong direction and forcing Florida’s economy to lag behind the rest of the nation. Under President Obama’s leadership unemployment continues to decline, but here in Florida Scott has favored an extreme agenda that has rejected jobs and slowed growth. The bottom line: Scott cares more about his extreme agenda than  strengthening our economy and protecting middle class families.”

Jobs Killed by Rick Scott:

–Nationally, unemployment dropped from 8.7-percent to 8.5-percent in December. Comparatively, in Florida unemployment dropped from 10-percent to 9.9-percent in December.

–Scott’s plan to close 11 correctional facilities will kill 1,293 jobs.

–Scott rejected federal funding for high speed rail, killing approximately 26,000 jobs.

–Scott has laid off thousands  of teachers, firefighters and police officers.

–Scott promised 700,000 jobs but brought less than 100,000 in his first year. His broken promises don’t help Florida’s unemployed.

Visit www.RickPublicans.com to learn more.

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