“Patronis helps state weather the storms”
Panama City News Herald
Story by John Henderson
October 29, 2017
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Jimmy Patronis has been a traveling man since he began his job as the state’s chief financial officer on July 1. In fact, at the rate he’s going, his on-the-job mileage by November will match the earth’s circumference.
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Since starting the job, Patronis has driven to all corners of the state, urging people to get their insurance information in order before hurricanes Irma and Nate and helping them avoid contractor fraud after them.
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Florida’s CFO oversees the state’s accounting and auditing functions and unclaimed property, monitors the investment of state funds and manages the risk management program for the state. The CFO also handles licensing and oversight of insurance agents and agencies, as well as funeral homes and cemeteries.
The CFO also oversees insurance fraud investigations, workers’ compensation coverage and serves as state fire marshal and a member of the Florida Cabinet.
As CFO, Patronis is in charge of the state’s checkbooks while overseeing an agency with about 2,000 employees and a budget of $298 million.
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After the storms, he traveled to areas hit by the storm, advising residents on how to expedite their economic recovery. He said before the storm left the state line, he and his team in a 24-hour period made stops in Tampa and the counties of Charlotte, Manatee, Lee, Hendry, Orange and Duval.
“We were helping people understand how to respond,” he said. “But more importantly, warning them of the fraud that follows a storm.”
Patronis said he’s learned a lot about the job in the four months in office, including the excellent condition of the state’s finances.
“Because of the credit worthiness of the state and what we have in keeping cash reserves, it has allowed the state to borrow money really almost cheaper than any other state in the union,” he said. “In the time since Gov. Scott has taken office, there have been billions of dollars in savings just in interest payments, and that’s real money that goes to education, health care, roads, infrastructure.”
Panama City News Herald
ICYMI: Panama City News Herald: Gov. Scott touts tourism, jobs at PCB stop
Gov. Scott touts tourism, jobs at PCB stop
Panama City News Herald
John Henderson
February 14, 2017
Gov. Rick Scott told local business and tourism officials Tuesday a proposal to eliminate the state’s tourism marketing and economic development agencies could devastate the local economy.
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The roundtable attracted a standing-room-only crowd at Capt. Anderson’s, with a wide range of local officials — including business owners, economic development leaders, tourism leaders and city and county elected officials — saying they supported Scott’s effort to keep the agencies.
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Scott said Enterprise Florida, which provides incentive payments for new companies to locate here or expand, has gotten a great return on the state’s investment.
Dan Rowe, executive director of the Bay County Tourist Development Council and a member of the Visit Florida Board of Directors, said the area already is seeing that return. He said the $30 million he secured for marketing this area after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was invaluable in helping the area recover and demonstrated “the power of destination marketing.”
Jorge Gonzalez, president of The St. Joe Co. who also is on the board of Enterprise Florida, also spoke in favor of the agencies.
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Former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense re-emphasized both agencies are working and creating jobs.
“In this particular case, if we do away with Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida, it would be the worst catastrophe to hit the state of Florida,” Bense said.
Jennifer Adams, the executive director of the Gulf County Tourist Development Council, said tourism is an integral part of Gulf County’s economy, as well.
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State Sen. George Gainer, R-Panama City, said he supports Scott’s position.
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“Tourism drives the economy of our coastal communities in Northwest Florida and offering economic incentives to businesses looking to relocate to our state is what helps create new jobs,” Gainer said in an afternoon news release. “Eliminating funding for these two vital programs is (short-sighted) and another example of some of the bad ideas that come out of Tallahassee.”
Bill Dozier, chairman of the Bay County Commission, praised Scott for his economic development efforts.
“We appreciate what you are doing for jobs in Florida,” he said. “You have been able to lay the groundwork to bring so many jobs here. And for us to be competitive throughout the United States, to be able to attract jobs here. We need all the incentives that are going on. We don’t need to abolish it.”
