JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- On his way to Jacksonville's Education Summit, Governor Rick Scott warned of pending cuts part of sequestration that he said will injure Florida's economy.

Unless the President and Congress find middle ground by tomorrow, an estimated $85 billion dollars in mandated cuts will be phased in.

"The President and Congress need to get together, they need to do their jobs so we don't lose jobs," said Scott moments after flying into Jacksonville.

"Programs like the amphibious group coming here, the program is at risk as they take this meat cleaver approach," said Scott, who fears three ships destined for Naval Station Mayport will not arrive.

Earlier this week, Scott in a letter to President Obama stated that the USS New York, USS Iwo Jima and the USS Fort McHenry would not be transferred to the First Coast because of sequestration.  

Scott told the President in his letter that Florida is one of the most defense centric states with the First Coast (Northeast Florida) being a region which is 17 percent economically dependent on military and defense contractor spending. 

First Coast News