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A Look At Gov. Rick Scott's Cuts To Mosquito-Control Programs

WGCU | By Topher Forhecz
Published August 10, 2016 at 2:23 PM EDT
Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Gov. Rick Scott has been attacking Congress’ inability to pass a spending package for Zika virus prevention.  

But, POLITICO Florida recently took a look back at Scott’s own history with the state’s efforts to fight mosquitos.

Reporters Christine Sexton and Marc Caputo reported how Scott reduced state aid to mosquito-control programs by 40 percent in the year after he was elected.

He also cut funding for two labs that conduct research dealing with mosquito control during his first two years in office.

One $500,000 cut caused an already embattled facility to close, and left half the state’s mosquito researchers out of a job.

Scott’s office fired back in a press release, saying he’s allocated $26 million to fight Zika and that he set a 20-year high for mosquito control in this year’s budget.

WGCU’s Topher Forhecz spoke with POLITICO Florida reporter Christine Sexton about the story and what she found.  

Listen below:
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LocalNewsRick ScottZika
Topher Forhecz
Topher is a reporter at WGCU News.
See stories by Topher Forhecz
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