Posted on 08/18/2006 3:49:32 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
Legislators have approved $155.3 million to lure yet another California biotechnology institute to Florida.
The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, based in the San Diego area, now is deciding whether to build its 175,000-square-foot facility in Port St. Lucie or Orlando.
"This is the beginning of us becoming the premier research state in the nation, if not the world," state Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, said Thursday after the Legislative Budget Commission's approval of the funds.
The commission meets periodically when the Legislature isn't in session to make certain state financial decisions that can't wait until the next legislative session.
Burnham officials said the institute will create up to 300 jobs within 10 years.
"With this critical endorsement, we can now finalize selection of a site and begin to develop this partnership that will advance the institute's medical research," Burnham spokeswoman Nancy Beddingfield said.
In addition to the millions approved by the state, Burnham will also receive money from the city it chooses.
The commission also agreed on Thursday to give $20 million to SRI International, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based research institute that has been considering a campus in St. Petersburg.
Palm Beach County commissioners agreed Tuesday to work on terms of a deal that would bring another major biotech research facility to the area.
The San Diego-based Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies is asking the county for $21 million to put its headquarters in Boca Raton.
Supporters of that deal say the move would go a long way toward building Florida's biotech hub, which began with the $600 million-plus deal to lure The Scripps Research Institute to Jupiter.
How about we just give the money back to taxpayers and keep the ones that are already here.
155 million lure in exchange for approximately 300 jobs within 10 years.
Is that right?
There's not quite enough traffic and congestion in South Florida.
I'm glad they are bringing more and more people into a dwindling space.
Good idea.
This is really stupid. They take this stuff and put it right in the middle of Hurricane Alley. They wouldn't think of putting it in Tornado Alley.
If something they are experimenting with gets loose in a Hurricane, it could be spread......who knows.
Boy am I having a bad day or what????????
what a waste of tax dollars. Why don't they just cut all taxes?
Burnham officials said the institute will create up to 300 jobs within 10 years.
--
I would read more like , has the potential to create up to 300 jobs within 10 years, but if they hit a big discovery before then, it could even be more, not sure how they could guarantee anything tho.
Are you kidding, Cut taxes in California?
That's blasphemy here in this socialist utopia....
I meant Florida should lower tax rates to lure and encourage business and job growth widely instead of trying to lure a company here and there with bribes out of the taxpayer pockets. Its also a subsidy that chooses one business over another- hardly a good competitive environment.
Agreed, thanks for clarifying..
.. but my previous comment stands re: California. ;-)
seems like this is a wise investment.
First off, people forget we have stricter building codes in FL. Not perfect but better.
NO Income tax but we have a balanced state budget.
A whole slew of universities.
Just think of all the conservatives we will be training....
NO Income tax but we have a balanced state budget.
-- You just HAD to rub that in, huh? lol
of course the Florida Straits are a lot wider than the Rio GRande and Mexifornia border line
Uh-oh, there go some more of the $500K-wage-earners that Angelides is SO hoping to tax to death.
Why don't the business move to FL with its own funds then?
Corporate welfare is just as bad as poverty welfare.
one shot deal and a cost benefit analysis.
Consider how much tax dollars and ecconomy dollars each job represents.
Scientists have to eat and buy houses and have fun and so on and so on and so on...
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