TALLAHASSEE, FL — The Florida Democratic Party today released a new video, “Reel Waste,” highlighting Scott Plakon’s record of wasteful spending and reckless financial policy: bypassing usual procedures and spending millions of our tax dollars on a company which later declared bankruptcy — costing hundreds of jobs and leaving the state on the hook for millions of dollars.
Between 2009 and 2012, Florida Republicans like Plakon bypassed ordinary procedures and supported giving millions of tax dollars in subsidies to film production company Digital Domain. Just a few months after Plakon supported this giveaway, Digitial Domain declared bankruptcy, abruptly firing roughly 300 Florida employees and likely costing the state millions.
“Scott’s Plakon’s reckless financial policy and wasteful spending has cost Florida taxpayers millions of dollars, and cost our state hundreds of jobs,” said Florida Democratic Party spokesman David Bergstein. “Instead of investing in our state’s economy, public schools or infrastructure, Republicans like Plakon spent millions of our tax dollars and created zero jobs for Floridians, and the more Floridians’s learn more about Plakon’s record of waste and reckless spending, the less they trust him with our state’s future.”
CLICK HERE TO WATCH “REEL WASTE
TITLE: Reel Waste
Date: 9/25/12
| Scott Plakon says he has a record of creating jobs in Florida, but does he really? |
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| He used our taxpayer dollars to fund big subsidies for companies all over Florida. He even gave a film company called Digital Domain 135 million dollars in prime real estate, a luxurious headquarters, and direct cash gifts. | Heavily Subsidized Film Company Declares Bankruptcy in Embarrassment for Plakon [Media Trackers, 9/13/12] “Digital Domain Media Group Inc. closed its taxpayer-subsidized film studio and filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, just a few short months after State Rep. Scott Plakon (R-Longwood) told skeptical Tea Party leaders that the Florida film industry provides a sterling example of why government officials should hand over taxpayer dollars to politically connected companies.
Between 2009 and 2012, Florida’s Republican-dominated legislature and various local governments handed over $135 million in taxpayer subsidies to Digital Domain. Those subsidies included prime real estate and a lavish headquarters building in addition to direct cash payments.” |
| Then, Digital Domain declared bankruptcy and fired 300 people. | Heavily Subsidized Film Company Declares Bankruptcy in Embarrassment for Plakon [Media Trackers, 9/13/12] “Despite Plakon’s assertions, Digital Domain abruptly laid off approximately 300 Florida workers and returned none of the $135 million in taxpayer subsidies.”
See also: Tampa Bay Times, 9/13/12 |
| 135 million dollars. 0 jobs. We just can’t afford Scott Plakon’s jobs plan. |
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