Philadelphia

Florida Governor Comes to Pennsylvania to Draw Companies to the Sunshine State

Fewer taxes and better weather.

That's what Florida Gov. Rick Scott hopes will draw Pennsylvania businesses to the Sunshine State.

"You know my experience is that everybody wants to move to Florida," said the Republican governor. "They like the weather, they like our beaches, they like our amusement parks, they like to be able to get out — we have a great education system."

Scott toured the Philadelphia region Monday in hopes of convincing local businesses to move to Florida with the promise of better living and lower taxes — including no income taxes, lower business privilege taxes and no inheritance taxes.

Scott made no apologies about targeting the jobs of Pennsylvanians.

"My job is to get jobs for Florida families," said Scott while standing outside in Center City Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf — a Democrat — said his counterpart's visit to the City of Brotherly Love is nothing more than a political stunt.

"(Wolf) knows what the business community needs, and he is working to improve the stagnant economy he inherited by investing in education and creating strong, middle-class jobs," said a Wolf Administration statement. "Gov. Scott’s political theater doesn’t mean anything.”

Scott disagrees.

"What your new governor is doing is not going to be good for your businesses," said Scott.

Scott's office didn't name all the companies he met with during a series of meetings Monday but at least one Pennsylvania giant planned a joint news conference with Scott to at least discuss expansion in Florida. Wawa and Scott will talk Monday evening about the convenience store favorite's possible plans to build more stores in the Sunshine State.

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