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Scott clarifies on jobs promise, but leaves an out

Posted Oct 7, 2011 by William March

Updated Oct 7, 2011 at 06:33 PM

Seeking to clarify his position in a controversy over his campaign promise to create 700,000 jobs, Gov. Rick Scott now acknowledges the promise was for jobs above and beyond those expected to be created by natural growth—but he qualifies it by saying forecasts of natural job growth aren’t reliable.

Scott based much of his campaign on his “7-7-7 plan,” which he said would create 700,000 jobs in seven years by cutting taxes and regulations.

But state economists were already projecting the state would gain about 1 million new jobs in that time as the economy recovered, without any major changes in tax or regulatory policy and regardless of the election outcome.

Asked during the campaign whether he meant his promise to be in addition to that natural growth, he said yes on several occasions.

However, Scott has been quoted recently as saying every job created in Florida during his term counts toward fulfilling his promise of 700,000 jobs, and denying he ever said his promise was on top of natural growth.

After news reports questioned whether he was going back on his promise, Scott issued a statement today saying he wasn’t.

“Regardless of economic predictions that shift with the wind, my promise to create 700,000 jobs over seven years has not and will not change,” he said.
“As I said during my campaign, this plan will create 700,000 jobs over seven years no matter what the economy might otherwise gain or lose.”

But, he added, “No one, not even economists, can predict the future.”

Scott said numbers since he took office show his plan is working, citing the loss of more than 800,000 jobs in Florida during the economic bust before he took office, and the gain of 87,200 private sector jobs since he took office.