"Corcoran tells Democrats he needs them to override expected Scott veto of Enterprise Florida, Visit Florida bills" (POLITICO)

Will millionaire Florida Governor RICHARD LYNN SCOTT, defender of corporate welfare, respond harshly to Speaker Richard Corcoran's outreach to Democrats? Meanwhile, slick RICK SCOTT trails our beloved U.S. Senator Bill Nelson by five percentage points in two polls on the 2018 Senate re-election.

Richard Corcoran is pictured.
Daniel Ducassi/POLITICO
“The bill is going to pass,” Corcoran told the Democrats in a closed-door meeting attended by POLITICO Florida. “I’m asking you to help me get a veto-proof majority.”

Corcoran tells Democrats he needs them to override expected Scott veto of Enterprise Florida, Visit Florida bills

By MATT DIXON
03/08/17 09:26 PM EST
POLITICO

Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran had a message for House Democrats on Wednesday night: My bills will pass without you, but I still need your help.

If Democrats join with his Republican majority, Corcoran said, the House will be able to override Gov. Rick Scott’s expected veto of legislation to abolish Enterprise Florida, the embattled economic development agency, and another that would place tight restrictions on Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing entity.

“The bill is going to pass,” Corcoran told the Democrats in a meeting attended by POLITICO Florida. “I’m asking you to help me get a veto-proof majority.”

In the House, Republicans outnumber Democrats 79-41. In the 40-member Senate, the GOP also dominates with a decisive 25-15 advantage.

Scott, a vociferous supporter of both agencies, is pushing to get $85 million in economic incentive money for Enterprise Florida. Corcoran is philosophically opposed to using taxpayer-dollars for economic development, which has been the source of a feud with Scott that has so far dominated session and led the governor to take the extraordinary step of bashing House Republicans in their home districts.

Corcoran tried to strike a bipartisan tone when talking to Democrats, stressing the importance of being a united House in their fight with Scott. He also said it’s time for the Senate, who has largely been quiet, to join the fight.

“It’s now time for the Senate to pony up and say ‘are you going to clean up these agencies,’” said Corcoran, who spoke at a dinner House Democrats term “Wonderful Wednesday.”

Both bills are set for an initial House floor vote Thursday. Passing the bills with a veto proof majority would “send a message” to Scott, Corcoran said.

He told the room of Democrats that he would not twist their arms on the vote.

“I don’t threaten. I don’t call you into my office. I want people to vote their conscience,” he said. “That’s what I tell my members.”

He also referenced Scott’s decision to go after House Republicans who have supported the bills. Scott has made robocalls and in-district visits to amp up the pressure on them.

“I said to some of our caucus last night,” he said. “If the governor didn’t care about this issue, if the governor wasn’t calling people, running ads in your districts.”

During a brief questions and answer session, state Rep. Joe Abruzzo, of Boynton Beach, asked why more Democratic bills have not been heard. Corcoran said more would be getting on committee agendas now that the legislative session had officially started.

“Judge us now moving forward,” Corcoran said. “Every single piece of advice that you give us, I take it seriously.”

POLITICO Florida reporter Marc Caputo contributed to this story.