Gov. Rick Scott on budget: 'The filter will be whether it helps builds jobs or ... kills jobs'

When asked Wednesday about reports he is considering cutting funding for college construction projects -- including about a total of $11.5 million for projects at State College of Florida, New College and USF-Sarasota/Manatee -- Gov. Rick Scott took it as an opportunity to explain his overall approach to the budget sent to him by the Legislature.

Via the Miami Herald's Laura Figueroa:

"As you know I’m reviewing the budget, spent a lot of time reviewing every line in the budget. And I’m going to sign the budget because it does what I wanted, and that’s reduced business taxes. We’re in the process of phasing them out. Almost half the business owners won’t pay it any longer. Reducing property taxes by $210 million, and reducing the size and cost of government.

“But on top of that, there’s about 3,000 lines in the budget, and I’m reviewing all those with my team. And I’ve spent a lot of time so I’m going to be reviewing each of those and see. The filter will be whether it helps build jobs or whether it kills jobs. As you know I ran on a campaign of getting our state back to work and that’s what I’m focused on.”