FACT CHECK: Rick Scott’s Credit Claiming About the Economic Recovery

CLAIM: Rick Scott says Florida has created hundreds of thousands of jobs because of his administration.

FACT: Under Scott, most of the gains have gone to those at the top. That’s why hundreds of thousands of Floridians still can’t find work, and hundreds of thousands more are underemployed. Florida’s recovery has happened in spite of Rick Scott, not because of him — and it started under Charlie Crist. PolitiFact reported that “economists say Crist gets some credit for accepting federal stimulus dollars, which saved thousands of jobs, in 2009,” which created or maintained at least 160,000 jobs, including 20,000 teachers jobs. Too many Floridians are feeling left out in Rick Scott’s low-wage economy, while utility bills and insurance costs skyrocket.

CHECK THE FACTS: 

[Bloomberg, 5/22/14]

[Tampa Bay Times, 10/24/11]

[Tampa Bay Times PolitiFact, 5/31/14]