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Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Capital Soup Editor — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:44:33 +0000

MEMORANDUM

DATE: May 18, 2012

TO: Interested Media

FROM: Brian Burgess, Communications Director
Executive Office of the Governor

RE: Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Attached please find Governor Rick Scott’s weekly radio address. Learn more about Governor Scott’s work to bring jobs to Florida by eliminating job-killing regulation, holding government accountable and making sure Florida has the best educated workforce.

Click here for the video version of the Weekly Radio Address.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Scott’s press office at (850) 717-9282.

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Weekly Radio Address Friday, May 18, 2012

Hi, this is Governor Rick Scott.

Next week, I will be leading a business development mission to Spain. Along with a delegation of more than 60 Florida business leaders and economic development professionals, I will work to strengthen economic ties between Florida and Spain. The goal of our mission is twofold.

First, we will promote the 500th anniversary celebration of Spanish presence in Florida and further cement our cultural ties. Next, I will promote Florida as the ideal location for Spanish companies to do business.

Spain has been one of the fastest growing foreign investors in Florida in recent years. Well over 300 Spanish companies maintain operations in our state. Spain is also an important source of tourism to Florida. While in Spain, I will promote Florida as the world’s No. 1 tourist destination. By developing and maintaining relationships with key economic partners, we can ensure that Florida’s economy continues to grow.

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Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Capital Soup Editor — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:06:44 +0000

MEMORANDUM

DATE: May 4, 2012

TO: Interested Media

FROM: Brian Burgess, Communications Director
Executive Office of the Governor

RE: Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Click here for the video version of the Weekly Radio Address.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Scott’s press office at (850) 717-9282.

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Weekly Radio Address Friday, May 4, 2012

Hi, this is Governor Rick Scott.

Today, I signed legislation that takes steps to limit auto accident fraud and lower the cost of living for Florida’s families. I would like to thank the Florida House and Senate, as well as law enforcement throughout the state for helping me get this done. This is the number one consumer protection issue this year.

Auto accident fraud is raising insurance rates for all Floridians and taking money out of your pocketbook. If we failed to act, personal injury protection fraud would have cost average Floridians over $1 billion next year. Although I am proud to sign this meaningful bill into law, we must remain diligent. Already there are companies trying to game the system. We must continue to work to protect Florida’s taxpayers from having to pay increased insurance rates because of fraud.

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Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Capital Soup Editor — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:13:39 +0000

MEMORANDUM

DATE: April 27, 2012

TO: Interested Media

FROM: Brian Burgess, Communications Director
Executive Office of the Governor

RE: Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Click here for the video version of the Weekly Radio Address.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Scott’s press office at (850) 717-9282.

# # #

Weekly Radio Address Friday, April 27, 2012

Hi, this is Governor Rick Scott.

I recently signed legislation that increases funding to Florida schools by $1 billion.

During the past few weeks, I have spent time listening to teachers, parents and students about the best ways we can improve Florida’s K-12 education system. My job as Governor is to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested so that Florida’s children receive the best possible education.

One way the Florida Department of Education is doing this is by ranking the performance of Florida’s schools. Now, schools in our state can better understand how they stack up. Also, taxpayers will know exactly what they are getting for their money.

It is important to continue to set goals and monitor schools to ensure that they achieve success. I will continue to listen to teachers, parents and students about additional ways we can implement this funding. By doing this, we can ensure that your tax dollars are being invested properly and that Florida’s students are given every opportunity to succeed.

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Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Capital Soup Editor — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:45:34 +0000

MEMORANDUM

DATE: April 20, 2012

TO: Interested Media

FROM: Brian Burgess, Communications Director
Executive Office of the Governor

RE: Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Click here for the video version of the Weekly Radio Address.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Scott’s press office at (850) 717-9282.

# # #

Weekly Radio Address Friday, April 20, 2012

Hi, this is Governor Rick Scott.

This week, I signed legislation that increases funding to Florida schools by $1 billion. I would like to thank the Florida House and Senate for answering my call and putting Florida’s students first.

During my time as Governor, I have spoken with Floridians across the state. I quickly learned that the two issues that they care about the most are jobs and education. These two issues go hand-in-hand. Employers want to locate in states that have quality educational systems.

This historic increase in funding will ensure that Florida’s schools are in a position to educate our state’s future workforce. With this increased funding comes increased responsibility. It is important that we continue to hold Florida’s schools to a high standard. We must ensure that our educational system is held accountable to educate our children properly.

I am confident that continuing to invest in Florida’s schools will prepare our state to be the best place to live, work and play for years to come.

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US Government Returns Artwork Taken During the Holocaust

Capital Soup Editor — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:26:51 +0000

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A 400-year-old masterpiece work of art taken illegally from its owners in Nazi-occupied France during World War II was returned today to the family from which it was stolen more than 70 years ago.

Officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, and Interpol Washington’s U.S. National Central Bureau attended a ceremony in Tallahassee April 18 to return the rare painting by Girolamo de’ Romani, known as Romanino, to the Gentili family.

HSI Special Agent in Charge Susan McCormick and U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh officially signed over custody of the painting the same day to the Gentili heirs’ legal representative, Maître Corinne Hershkovitch, who traveled from France to receive the artwork.

The painting, “Cristo Portacroce” (Christ Carrying the Cross), which dates to circa 1538, depicts Christ, crowned with thorns and wearing a striking copper-colored silk robe, carrying the cross on his right shoulder while being dragged with a rope by a soldier.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of those involved, we are now righting a wrong perpetrated more than 70 years ago,” said McCormick. “HSI will continue to investigate cases involving stolen art and cultural property from around the world and return the objects to their rightful owners.”

Professor Lionel Salem, one of the heirs of the Gentili estate, could not be present for the ceremony but expressed his appreciation to the Department of Homeland Security for their “fantastic work” in investigating and pursuing the family’s interest in the Romanino painting: “I am so deeply grateful for the efforts of DHS on this matter,” he said. “The Gentili heirs are unanimous in wishing to convey the full extent of their immense gratitude.”

“Today, during this momentous occasion, I commend the outstanding collaborative efforts of ICE/HSI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, and Interpol Washington for locating and returning this 400-year-old priceless piece of artwork to the Gentili family where it belongs. When law enforcement agencies partner and pull their respective resources, much can be accomplished at all levels,” stated Interpol Washington Director Timothy A. Williams.

The painting was imported into the United States in March 2011 for temporary exhibit at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science in Tallahassee. Following a lead from Interpol that called the painting’s ownership into question, HSI special agents consulted the U.S. Attorney’s Office and seized the painting at the museum Nov. 4, 2011, to protect the art until ownership could be confirmed through formal legal proceedings. B-roll of the seizure can be downloaded at http://dvidshub.net/r/zij5if.

The painting had been on display at the museum since March 18, 2011, as part of an exhibition of 50 baroque paintings on loan from the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, Italy.

The painting is among many works of art and other valuable items, taken in a forced sale from the estate of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe. Gentili died of natural causes in Paris in April 1940, just months before the Nazi army invaded France in 1941. After receiving advanced warning of the impending Nazi invasion, Federico Gentili’s children and grandchildren fled from France, escaping to Canada and the United States. Other family members, who were unable to flee, died in concentration camps.

Gentili’s grandchildren have taken legal steps internationally to find and reclaim works illegally taken from their family during the Nazi occupation. In a landmark 1999 decision relating to World War II plunder, a Paris Court of Appeals forced the Musee de Louvre in Paris to return five paintings to the Gentili family, and ruled that the auction of the Gentili estate in Nazi-occupied France was an illegal forced sale and a “nullity.”

Earliest records about the painting indicate that it dates back to around 1538. It then appears in the collection of Antonio and Cesare Averoldi, and then in the Crespi Galerie. On June 4, 1914, after legally exporting a portion of the Crespi Collection from Italy, the Crespi Galerie put this painting and others up for auction in Paris, where it was subsequently purchased by Federico Gentili. After Gentili died, his estate was auctioned by French Vichy authorities in 1941, acting in concert with the Nazi occupiers; and the Gentili heirs were prohibited by law from returning to claim the painting. Several extraordinary anti-Semitic laws had been imposed, depriving French nationals who had left France of their nationality and arranging for confiscation of their property. Another German order, dated Sept. 27, 1940, established that, “Jews who had fled from the occupied zone were banned from returning there.” As a result, the painting was sold in the illegal, forced sale of 1941. The painting was thereafter acquired by the Pinacoteca di Brera in 1998.

U.S. Attorney Marsh and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bobby Stinson prosecuted the federal case for the United States.

U.S. Attorney Marsh praised the investigation by Interpol and HSI agents that brought this long-standing injustice to light: “Interpol and HSI deserve special credit for their efforts on this case. Their investigation not only identified the presence of this looted artwork in our district but also confirmed many details that were essential to a successful legal outcome. They obtained evidence from several different countries and also obtained documentation that confirmed the legal exportation of this painting from Italy prior to its sale to the Gentili family in France. It is not every day that our agents are required to track down and verify the provenance of a Renaissance painting. It was an unusual and dated investigative trail, but they were up to the challenge.”

HSI plays a leading role in criminal investigations that involve the unauthorized importation and distribution of cultural property, as well as the illegal trafficking of artwork. The agency specializes in recovering works that have been reported lost or stolen. The HSI Office of International Affairs, through its 70 attaché offices in 47 countries, works closely with foreign governments to conduct joint investigations, when possible.

HSI specially trained investigators, assigned to both domestic and international offices, partner with governments, agencies and experts to protect cultural antiquities. They also train investigators from other nations and agencies on investigating crimes involving stolen property and art, and how to best enforce the law to recover these items when they emerge in the marketplace.

Since 2007, HSI has repatriated more than 2,500 items to more than 23 countries.

Learn more about HSI cultural property, art and antiquities investigations.

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit: www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT CONTACT:
Dani Bennett
(813) 230-9825

Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Capital Soup Editor — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:00:23 +0000

MEMORANDUM

DATE: April 13, 2012

TO: Interested Media

FROM: Brian Burgess, Communications Director
Executive Office of the Governor

RE: Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Click here for the video version of the Weekly Radio Address.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Scott’s press office at (850) 717-9282.

# # #

Weekly Radio Address Friday, April 13, 2012

Hi, this is Governor Rick Scott.

During the past few months, I talked with Floridians across the state about what is important to them. I quickly learned that education and jobs are the two issues that Floridians care about the most.

In fact, education and job creation are equally important to Florida’s economy. Last week I signed a job creation and economic development package to boost Florida’s economy in the near term. This, along with an educated workforce, is the cornerstone for Florida’s economic future. Employers want to locate in states with the best and the brightest talent pool for employees. That’s why I called on the Florida House and Senate to increase K-12 funding by $1 billion. I would like to thank them for answering that call.

Increasing education funding in Florida is the best investment we can make for our state’s future. It is also important to remember that with increased funding comes increased responsibilities. We must continue to set the bar high on Florida’s learning standards. Also, we must continue to hold our schools accountable to provide our children with the best possible education.

I look forward to signing this billion-dollar increase in funding next week. Thank you to everyone who made this significant investment in our schools possible.

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Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Capital Soup Editor — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:18:21 +0000

MEMORANDUM

DATE: March 30, 2012

TO: Interested Media

FROM: Brian Burgess, Communications Director
Executive Office of the Governor

RE: Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Click here for the video version of the Weekly Radio Address.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Scott’s press office at (850) 717-9282.

# # #

Weekly Radio Address Friday, March 30, 2012

This week I signed my Job Creation and Economic Growth Agenda into law. With this plan, Florida’s unemployment rate will continue to drop. My agenda includes measures to clean up regional workforce boards, to make them more efficient and accountable.

It will also turn our current unemployment system into a re-employment system that focuses on providing free training to Florida’s out-of-work citizens. Also, to help create jobs in our state, we have enacted measures to eliminate burdensome state rules and regulations.

And finally, my 2012 Job Creation and Economic Growth Agenda provides tax relief for Florida’s businesses and working families. I am confident that this package, together with an additional $1 billion for education, will make Florida the best state in the nation to live, work and play.

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Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Capital Soup Editor — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:09:37 +0000

MEMORANDUM

DATE: March 16, 2012

TO: Interested Media

FROM: Brian Burgess, Communications Director
Executive Office of the Governor

RE: Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Click here for the video version of the Weekly Radio Address.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Scott’s press office at (850) 717-9282.

# # #

Weekly Radio Address Friday, March 16, 2012

Hi, this is Governor Rick Scott.

Last week was a great victory for all Floridians. The Florida House and Senate passed all three of my top priorities. They are adding $1 billion to the education budget, passing my 2012 job creation and economic development package and reforming auto accident fraud. I would like to thank everyone involved in helping achieve these goals.

These three legislative priorities will positively affect Floridians by keeping the cost of living low in our state, ensuring Florida’s kids can get a quality education, and putting more families back to work. It is important that this momentum continue.

I invite you to visit my website, FLGov.com, to find out more about what we are doing to make Florida the best state in the nation to live, work and play.

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Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Capital Soup Editor — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 00:22:43 +0000

MEMORANDUM

DATE: March 9, 2012

TO: Interested Media

FROM: Brian Burgess, Communications Director
Executive Office of the Governor

RE: Governor Rick Scott’s Weekly Radio Address

Click below for the video version of the Weekly Radio Address.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Scott’s press office at (850) 717-9282.

# # #

Weekly Radio Address Friday, March 9, 2012

This week, I would like to congratulate the Florida House and Senate on another successful legislative session. At the beginning of the session, I called on lawmakers to increase K-12 funding by $1 billion. This was my top priority.

I would like to thank Speaker Cannon and Senate President Haridopolos, as well as the entire Legislature, for putting Florida’s children first.

Lawmakers also passed key components of my 2012 Jobs and Economic Development Package, including:

· Turning our unemployment system into a re-employment system.
· Making workforce boards more accountable.
· Delivering business and property tax relief.

Like me, lawmakers realize that private companies create jobs, not government. I look forward to signing legislation that strengthens Florida’s business climate and invests in our children.

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Florida Opposition to “Parent Trigger” Bill Grows

Capital Soup Editor — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:03:27 +0000

Video (parts 1 and 2) of today’s press conference in opposition to SB 1718, the “parent trigger” legislation, featuring Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich, a bi-partisan group of lawmakers, and concerned parents from throughout Florida, has been uploaded to YouTube. The videos can be viewed here:

Michelle DeMarco
Press Secretary
Florida Senate Democratic Office
850-487-5833