What we need in the White House is a leader who understands that the government’s role is to create the conditions that help create private-sector jobs. We need a President who understands that the government can only give Americans the opportunity to work hard and live their version of the American dream, but government cannot do the work for them.

In my first year in office as Governor, we streamlined government, cut red-tape and created a business and taxpayer-friendly climate in Florida. As a result, our state’s unemployment rate dropped by more than 2.1 percentage points last year, the second biggest drop of any state in the nation, and we created 141,500 private-sector jobs.

The steps we are taking in Florida are working. The time is now to elect a leader who will make the right choices in order to grow jobs and get Americans back to work.

“These courageous men and women have served us with honor, and it is our turn to ensure veterans who are returning to civilian life have jobs when they come home,” said Governor Scott. “We are calling on Florida’s employers to give veterans strong consideration for available positions. With their proven leadership, skills and discipline, hiring Florida’s heroes is a smart move for businesses and the right thing to do for our veterans and their families.”

While the unemployment rate for Florida’s overall veteran population is slightly lower than that of the population at large, the Florida National Guard estimates approximately 17 percent of returning soldiers and airmen are looking for work. In partnership with Florida’s leading business organizations, the Hiring Florida’s Heroes campaign aims to promote the availability of these returning veterans to Florida’s employers and connect employers with a variety of resources to assist in the hiring process.

Employers interested in hiring veterans are encouraged to call the Employ Florida Marketplace hotline at (866) 352-2345 to connect with a workforce specialist in their area. The specialists can assist employers by posting job listings, assembling lists of qualified candidates and answering questions about available training options among other services. Employers also can visit the Employ Florida Vets web portal at veterans.employflorida.com to post job listings and view resumes.

“Florida’s returning soldiers and airmen possess strong leadership skills, work with integrity and are solid private-sector job candidates,” said Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The Florida Chamber encourages private-sector businesses to honor these talented veterans by hiring our heroes.”

Additionally, the state’s workforce system — consisting of Workforce Florida Inc., the Department of Economic Opportunity, the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards and nearly 100 One-Stop Career Centers — is working closely with the Florida National Guard, the state Department of Military Affairs and the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs to provide employment services to veterans who are looking for work and help employers access this exceptional talent pool. Since January 2011, workforce system partners have assisted 12,776 veterans with finding jobs, including 1,237 in the first three weeks of the new year.

“In my travels around the state, I have heard from many employers who appreciate the value veterans bring as employees. They want to do their part to support Florida’s military men and women,” said Sen. Don Gaetz, (R – Ft. Walton Beach). “With our economy improving, businesses growing and veterans returning from service overseas, now is the ideal time to ensure our state and business leaders are working together to get these men and women back to work here at home.”

Senator Gaetz has been a champion for efforts to assist Florida’s veterans and their families. Current legislation includes SB 922/HB 977, sponsored by Sen. Mike Bennett (R – Bradenton) and co-sponsored by Sen. Gaetz and others, which passed the Senate today. SB 922 creates a $10,000 tax credit for employers who hire eligible Florida National Guardsmen, assists veterans’ employment efforts by expanding preferences given in state contracting to veteran-owned businesses, and requires that qualified veterans be admitted to any Florida College System institution of their choosing.

Business leaders attending the campaign kickoff — including the Florida Chamber, the Florida Retail Federation, Associated Industries of Florida, Florida United Businesses Association, the National Association of Independent Business, the Florida Council of 100, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, the Florida Bankers Association and the Manufacturers Association of Florida ¬— have committed to sharing the Hiring Florida’s Heroes message with members and promoting the value of veterans as employees through social media and other outreach efforts during the year-long campaign. The campaign also will help raise awareness of recently expanded federal tax credits of up to $9,600 per veteran hired through the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.

For more information, please visit veterans.employflorida.com or call the Employ Florida Marketplace hotline toll-free at (866) 352-2345.

Since Governor Scott took office, the state’s unemployment rate has dropped 2.1 percentage points, from a high of 12 percent in December 2010, to the first single-digit unemployment rate in more than two-and-a-half years in December 2011.

“A good way to judge the direction of Florida’s economy is to look at the percentage of people who were unemployed one year ago and now have jobs,” said Governor’s Scott. “Today that number is 2.1 percentage points lower than it was in 2010, meaning more of Florida’s families are finding jobs. It is my goal to give every Floridian who wants a job the opportunity to get to work.”

Since January 2011, more than 12 private sector jobs have been created for every public-sector job lost, and Florida businesses have created 141,500 private-sector jobs with an average of 12,800 jobs per month.

“As a supporter of new job creation and the Second Amendment, this announcement sends the clear message that Florida is both open for business and a defender of our right to bear arms,” Florida Governor Rick Scott said. “My primary responsibility as governor is to be our state’s chief advocate for job creation. My personal involvement in bringing Colt to Florida demonstrates my administration’s deep commitment to rebuilding our economy.”

Colt is making a $2.5 million capital investment in a vacant building, which the company will lease, that is owned by Osceola County. Governor Scott and his economic development team at Enterprise Florida Inc. and the Osceola County Economic Development Department worked with Colt to bring this project to fruition. State incentives include $250,000 from the Governor’s Quick Action Closing Fund and funds for workforce training. Osceola County is offering additional incentives, including renovation of the building and rent concessions.

“Colt looked at many possible sites across the nation, but we ultimately decided to locate our new facility in the State of Florida,” Gen. Keys said. “Florida offered a strong pro-business incentive package. Coupled with the low cost of doing business in Florida and a favorable regulatory environment, opening this new facility was very attractive to us. Governor Scott’s personal commitment to both Colt’s growth plan and America’s right to bear arms was instrumental in our decision.”

“Attracting an American icon like Colt, which is one of the world’s top brands, is a real coup for our economic development efforts,” said Commission Chairman John Quinones. “Beyond creating new, high-wage jobs, Colt is going to be a great asset to our community.”

“Colt’s expansion to Osceola County is a perfect fit for the region,” said Dr. Sanford Shugart, president of Valencia College, which will design a specialized training program for the company. “Valencia College stands ready to deliver the best trained, best educated workforce possible. We welcome Colt’s Manufacturing Company to Osceola County and commit to partnering with them and serving their employees and families for many years to come.”

The state saw 9,500 new jobs added, bring the total net new jobs for the year over the 100,000 mark, a significant milestone.

“Florida’s economy is headed in the right direction,” said Governor Scott. “Obviously, we still have a long way to go, but this is great news heading into the holiday season.”

The Governor appeared live on WTEV Action News Jacksonville to discuss the news.

View chart showing the numbers: http://www.flgov.com/photoview/jobcreationchart.jpg .

He added, “This news, coupled with the recent failure of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a federal balanced budget amendment, should cause all Americans to be concerned about the direction our country is heading. As a new grandfather, I am deeply disturbed by the $15 trillion bill we will leave behind for our grandchildren if nothing is done to curb spending in Washington. Congress and the President need only look to the states to find ways to get spending under control in order to help create opportunities for jobs and economic growth for all Americans and generations to come.”

Sparks from a welding torch used by Daytona Beach city workers above a tank of methanol ignited vapors that exploded. The CSB found that the if the city had implemented hot work and hazardous communication (HAZCOM) programs conforming to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standards, “the hazards of using a torch in proximity to the methanol tank would likely have been identified and possibly prevented.” In Florida, OSHA safety and health protections apply to private employees, but not public employees, even though many such workers perform potentially hazardous work.

In a letter to Florida Governor Rick Scott, CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso noted that in recent years, proposed legislation to provide workplace protections for public workers had been strongly supported by a broad coalition of trade groups, businesses, and unions but failed to pass in 2009 and 2010. “Since no bill to secure health and safety protections for Florida’s public employees was introduced during the 2011 legislative sessions, the Board has concluded that neither you nor the State Legislature intend to take action to implement the CSB’s recommendations.”

Chairman Moure-Eraso urged state officials to take up the recommendation anew, saying in the letter to Governor Scott, “The Board maintains that implementation of these recommendations is necessary to secure the health and safety of Florida’s public employees. We therefore strongly encourage you and your colleagues in the state legislature to reconsider the CSB’s recommendations.”

Chairman Moure-Eraso said, “Florida’s inaction is unacceptable as it means public employees doing potentially hazardous work have inadequate workplace protections – which they would have if they were private-sector workers. The CSB has found that currently 27 states and jurisdictions operate safety and health programs for their public employees. There can be little doubt that these basic workplace standards help prevent accidents and save lives in those states.”

The CSB’s Bethune investigation found that in addition to the accident that occurred at the wastewater treatment plant in Daytona Beach, 33 other chemical-related incidents had occurred in Florida from 2003 to 2007. These incidents all involved chemicals that would be covered by the federal OSHA hazard communication regulations.

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency’s board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.

The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our website, www.csb.gov.

For more information, contact Hillary Cohen 202.446.8094, Bridget Serchak 202.261.7610 or Sandy Gilmour, 202-261-7614, cell 202-251-5496.

“Over the years, our players have embraced this spin on America’s classic board game,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O’Connell. “Not only are these new MONOPOLY Scratch-Off games fun to play, but they offer players top prizes ranging from $5,000 to $1 million. And, players with non-winning tickets will have the opportunity to win Florida vacation getaways and cash prizes through a second chance promotion.”

Given that tourism is such a vital part of Florida’s economy, VISIT FLORIDA is proud to partner with The Florida Lottery to offer players a unique opportunity to discover just a few of the state’s four-star resorts. “Because a healthy travel and tourism industry is an important part of creating and sustaining jobs in Florida, VISIT FLORIDA was eager to participate in this collaborative effort,” said Christopher Thompson, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA.

During the second chance promotion, players have the opportunity to win one of 12 amazing Florida vacation getaway packages to the Oaseas Resort in Panama City Beach, Hawk’s Cay Island Resort on Duck Key, Reunion(r) Resort and Club in Orlando, and Hammock Beach Resort? in Palm Coast. “VISIT FLORIDA is always grateful to our dedicated partner businesses who continue to invest in programs that are focused on bolstering tourism and Florida’s economy,” said Thompson.

Players will be able to enter any non-winning Florida Lottery MONOPOLY(TM) ticket in the ADVANCE TO GO(TM) Second Chance promotion on the Lottery’s website. Players will have the opportunity to play the MONOPOLY(TM) Bonus Board Game and “earn” MONOPOLY(TM) Money for entries into the second chance drawings, which will be held on July 20, August 10, August 31, and September 21.

In each of the four drawings, one grand prize winner will be awarded $10,000 and a MONOPOLY(TM) Premier Edition board game. Three second prize winners will be awarded a Florida vacation getaway consisting of a minimum 3-day/2-night, four-star Florida hotel package and $1,000 spending cash; 15 players will “Advance to Go(TM)” and collect $200 plus a MONOPOLY(TM) Premier Edition board game; and 30 players will win a MONOPOLY(TM) Premier Edition board game.

The Florida Lottery introduced its first MONOPOLY(TM) -themed Scratch-Off game 15 years ago with the launch of $2 INSTANT MONOPOLY(TM). The game performed so well that additional price points were added to form the Lottery’s most successful and sustaining “family of games.” Today, MONOPOLY(TM) is the most popular licensed brand offered by the Florida Lottery with combined sales for all MONOPOLY(TM) games totaling more than $3 billion.

Florida voters, by a two-to-one margin, approved a constitutional amendment in 1986 authorizing the state to operate a lottery for the purpose of generating significant additional moneys for education. Today, Floridians continue to show their support by purchasing nearly $4 billion in Lottery products per year, resulting in contributions of more than $22 billion to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund since 1988.

Editor’s Note: low income families, out of work individuals, and those with financial issues should not play the lottery in lieu of using funds to pay normal living expenses. Any lottery is a game of chance, where the odds are against the player and the chances of winning are fairly low overall. Play cautiously if you can afford it, and spend wisely and with the expectation of loss, not a windfall.

Darm, of Tallahassee, is a government analyst with the Office of Policy and Budget. He succeeds James R. Harding and is reappointed for a term beginning May 2, 2011, and ending August 13, 2013. Darm will serve as chair.

“I am so proud of our dedicated military men and women and our intelligence community for not giving up in our pursuit of justice. I am grateful for their tenacity and their deep sacrifices. President Barack Obama should also be commended for doing the right thing and following through with the promise of justice initially given by President George W. Bush.

“While threats remain, today the world is a safer place.”