During Tuesday’s Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day, Florida’s House Majority Leader made a personal case as to why he believes the state’s business recruitment agency should be eliminated.
Rep. Ray Rodrigues (R-Fort Myers) says he’s a big supporter of the developmental disability community.
“Because I have a son who has a developmental disability,” he said. “Typically, when we’re out in public and we’re in the world away from people who are familiar with the community, folks see my son, but they don’t see my son. They see his disability.”
And, Rodrigues says that’s part of the reason why he decided to vote to do away with Enterprise Florida.
“We have a waiting list that is 20,000 individuals long in the Agency for Persons with Disabilities,” he added. “How can I in good conscience give money to for-profit corporations, when we’re not serving the needs of our most vulnerable?”
The debate surrounding Enterprise Florida has been controversial, since Governor Rick Scott and House Republicans are at odds over the need for the agency.
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