The Scott-O-Meter adds a new prison promise

When we launched the Scott-O-Meter on Jan. 1, 2011, we identified 56 promises that Gov. Rick Scott made during the campaign.

But we knew there might be more out there.

We added one in the first week, a promise to bring an Arizona-style immigration law to Florida. We already have rated that promise In the Works. On Jan. 12, 2011, we decided to add another promise.

During the campaign, Scott pledged major spending cuts to the Department of Corrections, saying he can shave $1 billion out of the $2.4 billion state corrections budget.

"Paying competitive market-based salaries for corrections staff, utilizing inmate labor to grow prison food, and competitively bidding health care contracts resulting in public prison costs that are as low as private prisons, prisoner costs would be reduced by $1 billion."

Each of those three individual policy promises already are included on the Scott-O-Meter (as of this update, all are Not Yet Rated). But we realized, thanks to a suggestion from a reader, that Scott could deliver on each of those promises but still not save $1 billion.

So we decided to add the overall dollar-figure promise as well.

The proposed cuts to the state Department of Corrections have been controversial, and were the subject of a television ad attacking Scott during the campaign. In the ad, the Florida Police Benevolent Association said Scott's prison plan "would cut Florida's prison budget in half, close prisons, and release tens of thousands of prisoners early -- murderers, rapists, sex offenders, armed robbers, drug dealers." PolitiFact Florida ruled that claim Barely True.

So along with Scott's proposed policy and management changes to the Department of Corrections, we'll now be looking to see if he can save $1 billion in prisoner costs.

We'd like to hear your suggestions for any other Scott campaign promises he made before the election. You can email us at politifactflorida@gmail.com.