Rick Scott in 2014 Governor's State of the State speeches

On Education: $80M for state colleges; hold the line on tuition at $10K

We are recommending $80 million in our budget this year for those colleges and universities who graduate students best positioned to get a job.

We are changing how we fund higher education but if we want to make higher education more accessible to low and middle-income families, we have to make it more affordable.

Last year, I vetoed a tuition increase that would have taken a total of more than $42 million from Florida families. And, this year, we want to get rid of the 15% annual increase and inflationary increase on tuition.

My commitment to every family dreaming to send their children to college is simple: We will hold the line on tuition.

Parents saving for their children to get a four-year degree from a public university today need to save over $53,000. We shouldn't celebrate how accessible higher education is until we can make it more affordable. That's why I am proud that all of Florida's 4-year state colleges now offer bachelor's degrees for only $10,000.

Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Florida legislature Mar 4, 2014

On Environment: Break tourism records while protecting our environment

A lot has happened since I spoke to you last year. I could talk about how our unemployment rate is now down to 6.3%. How our crime rate is at a 42-year low. How we have invested record funding in protecting our environment, while our tourism industry is breaking records. Or how we have added more than 460,000 new private-sector jobs since the end of 2010.

Working together, we have made Florida not just a destination for tourists--but a destination for opportunity.

Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Florida legislature Mar 4, 2014

On Homeland Security: Florida has one of country's largest veteran populations

We can never say thank you enough to those who have served our country. I am so proud of all of our men and women who wear the uniform--like my dad did. I am also proud to say that Florida has one of the largest veteran populations in the country. Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Florida legislature Mar 4, 2014

On Principles & Values: As newlyweds, opened a donut shop with wife and their moms

I want to share with you the story of a young man who lived in public housing as a kid. Who never knew his natural father. Who saw his adopted dad struggle to keep a job. And who remembers the heartbreak on his parents' faces when the family car was repossessed.

This young man joined the US Navy after high school. Newly married, he left his young bride in their tiny apartment almost 2,000 miles from their home while he went off to sea. They didn't have much money, so they used the camping equipment they got for wedding gifts as furniture.

This young couple was thrifty. They eventually saved enough money to open a small business. They worked at this business themselves, along with both of their moms. After a while, the business started making money and they added another location.

That young couple is still young at heart, even though they have now been married over 40 years. That small business was a donut shop--and that is the story of how Ann and I opened our first business.

Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Florida legislature Mar 4, 2014

On Welfare & Poverty: People don't want handouts; they want their shot at success

I know that it has become fashionable in Washington to think that our people are victims who need handouts. But the people of Florida are diligent and hard working people. They aren't looking for more promises from government, or programs from government. They want their shot at success. They want the freedom to overcome adversity. They have their own dreams--and many of those dreams start with getting a great education. Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Florida legislature Mar 4, 2014

The above quotations are from 2014 Governor's State of the State speeches. Click here for other excerpts from 2014 Governor's State of the State speeches. Click here for other excerpts by Rick Scott. Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
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Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018