The GOP now owns Florida’s sky-high unemployment rate.

“Republicans have got to deliver,” state Sen. John Thrasher told me last week. “I get that.”

They’ve controlled the Legislature and the governor’s mansion for well over a decade, but expectations are high with a Republican Cabinet and two-third majorities in both chambers. One million out-of-work Floridians are now watching.

So, what can they do to turn the state’s morbid economy around?

A few ideas:
- The governor as recruiter-in-chief. Gov.-elect Rick Scott promised to become Florida’s “Chief Economic Development Officer.” Now it’s time for him to deliver.

North Carolina’s Democratic Gov. Beverly Purdue has developed a reputation as a master saleswoman. And Site Selection magazine has named her state No. 1 for Business Climate Rankings year after year (Florida ranked No. 14 this year). They are attracting new businesses and boast an unemployment rate nearly 2.5 percent lower than ours.

Over the past few years, I’ve listened to complaints about the lack of commitment from the governor’s office in recruiting new business to the state. That needs to change.

- Invest in education. Despite distinct environmental advantages, Florida has struggled to turn out a well-educated workforce. North Carolina, with its three research universities feeding the world renowned Research Triangle, has figured it out. Florida must do the same, with a decisive boost in funding to our state university system. K-12 public education can’t be ignored either.

- Re-visit the massive tax hikes passed in 2009. Faced with a massive shortfall, the Legislature passed fee hikes, nearly doubling the cost of obtaining tags and driver’s licenses, increasing the cost of filing court motions and raising business taxes (although they were later pushed off in the 2010 session). Thrasher said he’s heard plenty of complaints about the increases, which were passed before he took office.

“We need to take a look at some of the fees,” he said. “That would send a signal to businesses that we get it.”

Of course, the challenge would be identifying where the cuts would come from to support a repeal.

- Level the playing field for Florida retailers. As online sales have grown around the country, local retailers have struggled to compete against Internet giants that refuse to collect sales taxes. Yet, the Legislature has failed to join 23 other states that are compliant with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, a voluntary program that simplifies tax collection for online merchants.

While Tallahassee will never be able to force Amazon to compete in a fair environment — Congress will need to do that — it can make it easier for merchants who want to be responsible corporate citizens to remit taxes.

The governor-elect and the Legislature face a daunting task. Let’s hope they avoid short-term feel-gooders — like pouring billions into a high-speed rail project with grandiose projections and gutting the state’s growth management laws — that do little to well-position Florida for the future.

The times call for thoughtful, well-crafted and proven solutions.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403664/abel-harding/2010-11-07...