[We'll focus on his parting blow: "The stimulus has not created one private-sector job."
By stimulus, campaign spokesman Joe Kildea confirms, Scott means the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Federal data don't break out private-sector jobs from public ones. But it's clear some Florida stimulus jobs — and in some cases, most — end up with private-sector contractors, said Don Winstead, special adviser to Gov. Charlie Crist on the stimulus. One example of private impact, he said, would be 2,951 full-time equivalent jobs created or saved under the U.S. Department of Transportation. They would largely represent private highway construction jobs, he said.
But that doesn't address whether a job may have been "created," not merely saved. So we examined a specific stimulus-funded program, Florida Back to Work. It's paid for with funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program — established by the stimulus bill — which may be spent on subsidized employment.
The program is operated by the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, which administers other benefit programs and tracks the unemployment rate. It got its federal funding in March, and reimburses employers for most of the costs of a new employee through Sept. 30. As of Sept. 10, it had paid for jobs for 5,324 new employees. It has also worked with employers to create 4,053 positions posted at employflorida.com and open to job seekers.
So, are any of those private-sector jobs?
A summary from the agency lists more than 1,000 Florida employers who have agreed to create jobs using the program. Some are public, such as the Department of Children and Families in Okaloosa County. Others are nonprofits, such as Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast. And yes, there are plenty of private companies, for example, Riviera Beach pharmaceutical manufacturer Sancilio & Co.
Alex Sancilio, a principal in the Palm Beach County company and director of human resources, has used the Back to Work program to make 27 new hires and keep 15 full-time employees. She worked with the local work force board to get resumes, and used the money to speed up hiring.]
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