Florida Ads Aim To Snag Business From California

TALLAHASEE, FL — Florida Gov. Rick Scott is on a mission to bring more jobs to the Sunshine State and he doesn’t mind stealing enterprise away from other states to achieve the goal.

Proving that point, Enterprise Florida has announced plans to begin airing a radio campaign on stations in San Francisco and Los Angeles in the coming days. The ads will run in advance of Scott’s “domestic trade mission” to the Golden State next week.

“During the trip, Governor Scott will meet with California businesses to share why they should move their operations to Florida,” a media release from the governor’s press office boldly proclaims.

Scott is scheduled to attend the May 1-4 Milken Institute Global Conference to talk about how the state “is making it easier for families and job creators to succeed,” an announcement of the planned mission posted on the governor’s website states.

This isn’t Scott’s first visit to California in an attempt to show businesses that the grass is greener on the other side of the country either.

“Last year, we met with companies in California to tell them why Florida is the best location to grow their business, and it is clear that has not changed,” Scott said in a statement. “In fact, Governor (Jerry) Brown’s tax and spend administration has spent the past year passing laws that make it even harder for businesses to succeed.”

Scott takes issue with California’s intent to hike its minimum wage to $15.

“California elected officials even chose to ignore concerns that the new minimum wage could eventually cost almost 700,000 jobs and an additional $3.6 billion a year for taxpayers,” Scott’s statement noted.

As it stands currently, California’s minimum wage is $10 an hour. Florida’s is $8.05. Brown and California’s state legislators struck a deal in March that will raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022.

The radio ads set to play on California stations hone in on the job loss potential California may face as the minimum wage hike begins to go into effect. The ad features two women talking about job losses.

“Seven hundred thousand. That’s how many California jobs will be lost thanks to the politicians raising the minimum wage,” one woman in the ad says.

“How can that be?” Asks the second.

“Economists predict it will be too much for companies to afford, so they will do layoffs,” the first woman responds. “Replace people with computer kiosks and robots.”

The ad closes out with a statement from an “announcer:”

Ready to leave California? Go to Florida instead – no state income tax and Governor Scott has cut regulations. Now Florida is adding 1 million jobs, not losing them. To find out more information please call 407-956-5600 or visit enterpriseflorida.com.

California's governor's office isn't letting Scott's attempt to entice business to the Sunshine State slide without a response.

"As one of the millions of tourists flocking to the Golden State this time of year, we’d like to extend a warm welcome to the Governor," Evan Westrup, spokesman for Brown's office told Patch. "We can understand why he’s coming back -- there’s lots to do and plenty to learn. In fact, since his last 2,000 mile cross-country jaunt, California has added twice as many jobs as Florida, while paying down debt, building a robust rainy day fund and taking bold action on issues Governor Scott continues to ignore, like climate change and poverty."

Whether Scott’s mission to bring California companies to Florida will be successful remains to be seen. Other similar trips, however, have paid off Florida.

Following a similar trade mission to Pennsylvania last year, B. Braun Medical Inc. announced its plan to open a manufacturing facility in Daytona Beach. The new venture, announced Monday, will bring 175 new jobs to Florida, according to the governor’s office.

Scott's office has not responded to a request from Patch for the cost of the ads or just how they are being funded.

Photo of Gov. Rick Scott from the Rick Scott Facebook page