Several of Florida’s state agencies are facing vacancies.
Veterans Affairs chief Mike Prendergast is stepping down to run for Citrus County Sheriff. The state is looking to replace Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarthy, who is resigning in early May. Interviews are underway to fill the empty chair at the Florida Department of Revenue.
And now, Enterprise Florida Chief Bill Johnson is quitting. His resignation comes after lawmakers refused to grant the economic recruitment agency an additional $250 million.
Gov. Rick Scott says that refusal means Enterprise Florida has to downsize.
“We’ve got to look at, how are we going to be competitive with other states that have programs where you can go out and incentivize companies to move and expand in your state,” said Scott. “From my standpoint, I’m focused on taxpayers getting a good return on their investment. But the legislature gets to appropriate, and they made the decision not to appropriate.”
Former Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins will lead the review.
Scott has asked for $6 million in savings from Enterprise Florida. That could mean job cuts.
