McCollum says he'll use taxpayer funds to compete with Scott

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum says Florida faces such severe budget shortfalls that everybody needs to cut back.

But even as the attorney general touts his plan to freeze tax rates for local governments, he won't forgo hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money for his campaign.

``There's going to be a $6 billion shortfall -- or more with the oil spill -- in state government alone,'' McCollum said in a Tampa Bay area TV interview.

``I want to ask everybody to pull in that belt. Am I going to take some taxpayer-matching funds? Yes I am, because I've got an opponent now who's a multi, multimillionaire,'' McCollum said. ``He's spending unlimited wealth and I'm going to have maybe $6 or $7 million to spend.''

OVERTAKEN

A political newcomer with a controversial business background, Rick Scott has overtaken McCollum in the polls after spending $16 million on TV and radio ads. McCollum needs every possible dollar and is taking advantage of some politically awkward opportunities, including taxpayer financing and shadowy campaign committees tied to his campaign.

Under Florida's public financing system, candidates who abide by spending limits can receive up to $250 in matching money for each Floridian who contributes. In the 2006 gubernatorial contests, Charlie Crist received more than $3.3 million in matching funds, Republican rival Tom Gallagher $1.3 million, while Democrats Jim Davis and Rod Smith received $1.8 million and $945,000 respectively.

McCollum would receive additional state matching money if Scott spends more than the state-imposed cap of $24.9 million. Scott said this week that his campaign will not break that cap, but might skirt it by using a separate campaign committee to promote his candidacy.

POLITICAL WELFARE

The system was supposed to reign in massive campaign spending and level the playing field, but critics have long derided it as ``welfare for politicians.'' The Republican-controlled Legislature this year put a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 2 ballot to kill it altogether, but McCollum says he opposes that.

``After 30 years on the government payroll, Bill McCollum cannot find enough Floridians who are enthusiastic about his candidacy, ideas and vision to finance a statewide campaign,'' said Jen Baker, spokeswoman for the Rick Scott campaign. ``Now he is asking taxpayers to bankroll his inept campaign out of some entitlement to hold onto power.''

SHADY COMMITTEES

McCollum is also taking heat for two semi-mysterious and supposedly independent political committees, the Alliance for America's Future and the Florida First Initiative, which have spent about $2 million on TV ads attacking Scott. Though McCollum has solicited contributions for their efforts, his campaign fundraiser is raising money for one of them, and his TV buyer is buying their TV time, McCollum says he does not know much about them.

``We don't run them, we don't maintain them, they're not my organizations,'' the attorney general said. ``We're not violating the law, and any way we can encourage compliance with it, it will be done.''

``Bill McCollum is either lying or has a split personality,'' Baker said, scoffing at his suggestion that his campaign is unaware of what Florida First Initiative is up to.

McCollum hit Scott over his tenure as CEO of Columbia/HCA, the healthcare chain that paid $1.7 billion in fines for Medicare fraud.

``Why would you want somebody to be the governor of Florida who has not been able to run a big company like that any better than that?'' he asked.

Poll shows plenty of undecided voters in Fla. governor’s race