He came and saw some livestock, but Gov. Rick Scott didn't take a trip down the Giant Slide located inside the Florida State Fairgrounds Thursday morning as the Florida State Fair began in Tampa.
After a series of activities, including conducting a Cabinet meeting, the Governor joined much of the Hillsborough County political establishment — Democrats and Republicans alike — as they gathered inside the Charles M. Davis Special Event Center, the site of the annual Governor’s Day Luncheon, where corn dogs were de rigueur on the plates of the high and mighty.
The Governor did break some news during his address, announcing a new $45 million partnership with the Port of Tampa that will enable the port to expand to handle up to five million more tons of petroleum products per year after improvements are completed in 2014. According to a press release from the Governor's office, the port estimates the project will create over 641 construction jobs, as well as more than 8,200 direct and indirect jobs over the next 30 years. The $45 million is being split down the middle, with $22.5 million coming from the Florida Department of Transportation and the rest from the Tampa Port Authority.
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2012.