The state budget, thin on education funding but loaded with special interest pork, is on Rick Scott’s desk. Local education leaders are crying out for additional funding. Will Rick Scott show leadership by vetoing the millions of dollars in special interest pork, and sending that money to education? 

Rick Scott wants Floridians to believe that his funding for education is “historic,” but independent fact-checkers have already said that’s not accurate — the best years for per-student funding were 2007 and 2008.

Now, local education leaders are saying Rick Scott has misled the public, calling his education budget a “shell game,” and saying that “this was not a banner year for public schools to get money. It simply wasn’t and there’s no way to defend that it was.” 

“Rick Scott must veto every ounce of special interest pork, and then make sure that money goes where it is needed most: Florida’s public schools,” said Florida Democratic Party spokesman Joshua Karp. “These special interest giveaways are worth tens of millions of dollars, and that money belongs in our classrooms, not in the pockets of campaign contributors. That’s what Floridians want, and that’s what our students deserve.”