Gov. Rick Scott with Mayor Helen Miller of White Springs to his left and UF Prof. Martha Kohen on his right | Photo Kevin Derby

Gov. Rick Scott spoke to the Florida Rural Economic Development in St. Augustine Friday, reviewing his first weeks in office, pledging he will continue his fight to lure more jobs to the Sunshine State.

“Everything I have ever done in my life is tied to jobs,” said Scott, who added that he believed education and employment were the most important components to change people’s lives.

Having pledged on the campaign trail to bring 700,000 new jobs to Florida in seven years, Scott reviewed his six weeks in office, talking about his efforts to ease state regulations as a way to expand jobs.

“We’re not adding regulations that kill jobs,” pledged Scott. “Anything new that any agency wants to propose, we’re going to look at first.”

The governor raised the example of conservative Catholic school Ave Maria University in Naples, noting that the institute needed 75 land permits to establish itself.

Scott noted that his administration would reduce costs and taxes to attract businesses to Florida.

“We’re going to make sure every piece of government is accountable,” pledged Scott, whose team was reviewing state contracts and expenses.

Scott promised that his proposed budget would lower taxes by $2 billion and said it would help add to Florida’s advantages to lure jobs to the Sunshine State.

He also said the challenging economy required a new, leaner approach to government.

“Every family in the state is prioritizing,” said Scott. “We’re going to do the same thing at the state level.”

Scott vowed that he would use the bully pulpit of the governor’s office to reach out to businesses across the nation to bring jobs to Florida. 

“I have no problem with cold calls,” said Scott. “I should have been a salesperson.”

Scott promised to fight impediments and touch base with businesses looking to set up shop in the Sunshine State.

“I will make phone calls,” promised Scott. “I will go to events.”

Scott, who received a standing ovation from summit attendees after his speech, pledged that economic development would be a major priority of his administration and he repeated his promise to set up an office for that purpose two doors down from his own.

The governor also met with attendees before his speech. He joined Mayor Helen Miller of White Springs and Martha Kohen, a professor of architecture at the University of Florida’s college of design, construction and planning, to review models third-year students taking Studio 5 in the fall 2010 semester had designed in an attempt to attract visitors to White Springs. 

The governor touched on education, praising school-choice options, in both his speech and remarks to the media afterward.

“We have to make sure parents have as much choice as possible,” said Scott.

The governor also praised efforts to reform teacher performance pay, insisting that educators are assessed and held accountable. “Schools have to be 100 percent to the benefit of the students,” said Scott.

While not completely shutting the door to making a presidential bid, Scott blew off reports that he had his eye on running for the Republican presidential nomination. “I just got elected,” said Scott. “My goal is to get the state back to work.”

Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.