ORANGE PARK – With the 2017 legislature settling into their assigned seats on the House and Senate floor, tourism funding continues to plague lawmakers’ minds.

Gov. Rick Scott opposes a plan by Republican House Speaker Richard Corcoran to eliminate Enterprise Florida and cut Visit Florida funding by two-thirds. Corcoran wants to decrease Scott’s current $75 million back to the $25 million the state spent before Scott took office.

Leading up to the start of the legislative session, the feud heated, spurring Scott’s last minute tour of the state, which brought him to Orange Park last week. During the visit, he discussed growth in Clay and Duval Counties and how the passing of this bill would, according to him, reverse the growth in both counties in the last six years.

Not surprisingly, “#FightForJobs” was the topic of Scott’s visit, jobs that he says will be affected by the bill sent to the House floor. It awaits the legislative greenlight that would put the squeeze on Scott’s pet programs, Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida.

Amy Pope-Wells, president of Link Staffing in Orange Park, introduced the casually-dressed governor, who entered her office March 1 wearing an open-collared blue shirt, waving, smiling, shaking hands of constituents.

“Thanks to Scott’s leadership our state is flourishing,” Pope-Wells said to a roar of applause. “We have worked a long hard time to get where we’re at and I don’t want us to lose focus on economic development,” she continued, “Our leaders in the Florida House need to listen.”

The governor stated that no matter how many jobs he’s created, “it all starts with tourism.”

Scott cited the growth in tourism each year the funding for Visit Florida – the public-private partnership the drives the state’s tourism program – increased. He reminded his supporters that the tourism industry in our state makes up about 25 percent of the state’s sales tax, saving every household about $1,500, and also saves Floridians from paying state income taxes like residents do in many other states.

He explained the importance of Enterprise Florida – the public-private economic development program – in attracting businesses from other states and countries to continue to add jobs in Northeast Florida. The current system gives taxpayers a 5 percent return on their money, with no taxpayer dollars going to businesses unless they bring the jobs they promise to bring.

“This is exactly the way your government ought to work,” Scott said. “When you spend money marketing the state, you get more tourists.”

It seems simple, but Corcoran has a different opinion on the issue. With a refrain of “corporate welfare,” he claims that taxpayer dollars are wasted by Visit Florida, and, to a greater extent, Enterprise Florida. He often cites the secret investment last year that turned out to be an agreement with rapper Pitbull to promote Florida beaches for $1 million from Visit Florida, which he did in his typically scandalous, white-pants-and-bikinis music video “Sexy Beaches,” for Corcoran the video sends the wrong message.

While avoiding mentioning the House Speaker by name, Gov. Scott called out Clay County Rep. Travis Cummings. Cummings had voted to cut the state’s marketing by two-thirds in a House committee that met prior to sending the bill on to the House.

“Now we have politicians in Tallahassee who say you know what, we’re not going to market our state anymore,” he said.

The stories of meeting attendees echoed this sentiment.

“I was absolutely shocked that someone who calls themselves a Republican and speaker of the House could think this way,” said Jerry Agresti, president of Developers Realty Group Inc. on Fleming Island. “I was shocked that Travis Cummings, who I’ve known since he was on Orange Park Town Council, has voted this way.”

The governor asked the room, “Has anybody called Travis?”

“Yeah, I did call Travis,” said Bill Garrison, president of the Clay County Economic Development Corp., the local entity that works to bring high-skill, high-wage jobs to Clay County.

“Enterprise Florida is critical to what we do,” Garrison said. “The projects that come to Clay County don’t require a lot of incentives, but the technical support and the original lead comes from Enterprise Florida, so, yeah, I called Travis and talked to him.”

According to Garrison, “it’s a very political situation,” with members of the House butting heads within their own parties. “I was happy to see that three Republicans did vote to support Enterprise Florida and I hope they don’t suffer any consequences for it.”

As the governor addressed questions and concerns, the microphone continued to change hands.

“For the first time in Green Cove Springs, I had somebody call me up and say ‘I need a small office space on Walnut Street’ and this was the first time I had to say, ‘We don’t have any,’” said Green Cove Springs realtor Van Royal and city council member. “All of our downtowns are impacted by what Enterprise Florida does.”

Before the bill is voted on, it will be split into two bills to allow lawmakers to vote separately for eliminating Enterprise Florida, and reverting Visit Florida’s budget to the $25 million level is had when Scott went into office, according to a report from the Orlando Sentinel. Voting separately on these two programs could allow those in support of keeping Visit Florida fully funded to put the axe to Enterprise Florida.

The governor ended by reminding people to talk with their representatives to ensure they’re being properly represented.

“You have to be politically active, this is your state,” he said. “Travis Cummings, call him. Ask him, Travis, why are you doing this?”