Plenty of blame to go around

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/11/with-scott-in-town-pelham-goes-off-on-killing-jobs.html/comment-page-1

With Scott in town, Pelham goes off on ‘killing jobs’
posted by aaron deslatte on November, 9 2010 6:18 PM

TALLAHASSEE — Venting over having his agency targeted by Gov.-elect Rick Scott during campaign season, Department of Community Affairs Secretary Tom Pelham said Tuesday the state’s new chief executive’s criticism was “not based on facts.”

Pelham, who has overseen the growth management agency under Gov. Charlie Crist the past four years, clearly is moving on. But he’s doing so with a few blasts at Scott, who derided DCA for “really killing jobs,” through its regulations.

“I think it’s under siege,” Pelham said of DCA, during a break in Tuesday’s Cabinet hearing. “It’s been bullied and threatened and criticized unfairly. To have a candidate for statewide office say DCA is killing jobs all over this state, when we are doing just the opposite.”

Pelham blamed legislative leaders, as well, for blaming the agency for the state’s development woes, when the state’s poor economy and banks’ tight lending practices has had a larger effect. Scott’s criticism, “is total nonsense and not based on facts,” Pelham said.

Scott met briefly on Tuesday with outgoing Gov. Crist and incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon. Scott said he was working with the governor on staffing issues, but didn’t get too much into any specifics. “Our goal is to have a smooth transition, and I’m looking forward to getting to work,” Scott said.