Florida Watch Action is using its website to send robocalls to Gov. Rick Scott in retaliation for his own use of robocalls.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A Florida firefighter and an 8-year-old girl are among the people sending Gov. Rick Scott robocalls about his job performance.
Hundreds of people have been recording messages to the governor as part of an effort by Florida Watch Action.
The group has been collecting the calls at its website, "PinkSlipRick.com," because members don't like the robocalls that Scott has sent out recently. Scott has used the technique to tout accomplishments in office.
On Monday, the group started sending its own robocalls to the governor's office. Eight-year-old Isabella recorded this message.
"Hi Governor Rick Scott. My name is Isabella. I am 8 years old. And I think you are a bad governor because my school's budget has been cut because of you."
David G. offered this: "I am a Florida firefighter and thanks to you I'm earning three percent less. I'm also having to work an additional five years. Why you think having a 70-year-old firefighter on duty is good sense for the state of Florida, I have no idea."
A spokesman for the effort says Gov. Scott is not fulfilling his campaign promises to create jobs.
Damien Filer, a spokesperson for Progress Florida, which is partnering with Florida Watch Action, said Scott's decisions to reject federal money for high speed rail and health care cost jobs.
And cuts in the state budget caused layoffs in school districts, prisons and the Department of Children and Families.
"People are pretty sick and tired of sitting around their kitchen tables and getting robocalls from the governor explaining to them that he's doing things to create jobs in the state when they themselves are finding that very much the opposite is true. He's cut thousands of jobs in Florida."
Patrick Shepherd is a recent graduate of Florida State University with a degree in political science. He's been unable to find a job in his field and right now he's working at a coffee house for minimum wage.
Shepherd thinks Gov. Scott has not done enough to change the business climate.
"I have a lot of friends in the same boat as I am. People like me need to be able to find jobs in Florida so we can stay in Florida. This is my home. My family lives here. I don't want to leave the state to try to find employment and I don't feel that he's fulfilling that obligation to create a place where people like me can start a life."
But the Florida Chamber of Commerce thinks Gov. Scott is off to a good start in his efforts to bolster the economy.
While a new Gallup poll finds small businesses nationwide are gloomy about their short-term prospects, Chamber spokesman David Hart says Florida seems to be bucking that trend.
Hart said Gov. Rick Scott and the legislature passed a balanced budget and took the right first steps to bolster the business climate.
"They reduced regulation and they simplified and reorganized our economic development structure. So in Florida we seem to be bucking the trend and I think the evidence is that we've created 85,500 new net jobs since January of this year."
Scott insists the policies he's putting in place will help businesses succeed and make the state more attractive to other businesses. He said he welcomes the debate about what type of government people want and what programs should be funded.
"It just makes sense to create an environment in Florida where businesses can flourish, because we all know that's where the jobs are created. The policies we're putting in place are making our state more and more attractive to large and small business owners. It's good to see these positive signs, but we still have too many of our friends, family members and neighbors in this state looking for a job."