Scott hints at plans for the Department of Community Affairs

Gov. Rick Scott offered a glimpse of his budget plan at an event held at a sprawling retirement community Monday.

According to a statement from the governor’s office, Scott unveiled a plan at the Villages on Monday that would save taxpayers $1 billion over two years by streamlining state government.

“Reducing the size of government and eliminating bureaucracy will reduce the regulatory burden in the state, spur economic development and get Floridians back to work,” he said in the statement.

The statement said the governor’s budget proposal would “realign the regulatory functions” of the state’s growth management agency “with similar functions at other agencies.”

Scott’s transition advisers had recommended consolidating the Department of Community Affairs with other agencies to form a new Department of Growth Leadership as part of his efforts to transform the state’s regulatory climate and make it more hospitable to business.

The governor’s office has not clarified whether he intends to follow through with those recommendations.

Scott is set to submit his formal budget proposal to the legislature next Mon., Feb. 7, but lawmakers are not required to stick to his plan and have traditionally treated governors’ proposals more like suggestions.