Scott wants to save $1 billion

Gov. Rick Scott hopes to save taxpayers $1 billion over two years by eliminating potentially duplicative parts of state government, and by consolidating and reorganizing several other government functions.

Scott will recommend that the Department of Community Affairs be shut down when he delivers his budget proposal to the state legislature on Monday, and that its functions be reassigned to other parts of the state government, a statement said.

Scott will also propose the reshuffling of certain tasks within existing departments. For example, certain licensing and regulatory responsibilities may move from the Department of Health to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; in turn, that department's tax collecting activities may be relocated to the Department of Revenue.

“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,” Scott argued in his statement. “To grow jobs we must reduce unnecessary costs that government places on Florida businesses.”

Scott's full budget will be sent to the legislature on Feb. 7.