$14,000: The Amount a FL Unemployment Office Spent on Superhero Capes
- Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:24am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Editor’s note: this story originally appeared on the blog.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida officials are investigating an unemployment agency that spent public money to give 6,000 superhero capes to the jobless.
Workforce Central Florida spent more than $14,000 on the red capes as part of its “Cape-A-Bility Challenge” public relations campaign. The campaign featured a cartoon character, “Dr. Evil Unemployment,” who needs to be vanquished.
Florida‘s unemployment agency director asked Monday for an investigation of the regional operation’s spending after the Orlando Sentinel published a story about the program. State director Cynthia Lorenzo said the spending appeared to be “insensitive and wasteful.”
Workforce Central Florida Director Gary J. Earl defends the program, saying it is part of a greater effort to connect with the community. The agency says it served 210,000 people during its last fiscal year, placing nearly 59,000 in jobs.
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Comments (136)
sasoldier4god
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:36amYeah cause theres nothing else that 14000 could be spent on……if you need me I will be in a tent in the woods with my Bible, truck, and my gun.
Report Post »Bhaub
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 3:38pmRemember to bring along so more cliches, just in case you’re out there for a while!
Report Post »Rob
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:35amThis is why I can’t stand liberals…they spend, spend, spend, OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY!
Report Post »EdBoo
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:33amCreated by clowns with useless social work degrees from some whacko left-wing college.
Report Post »MBA
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:24amobviously stupid isn’t just in DC
Report Post »pavnvet
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 11:06amAnd everyone knows you can’t fix stupid…..but we can vote it out!
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:21amWhat, no unemployed “pole dancer” in a cape? I’m so disappointed.
Report Post »Tony
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:20amQuestion is which one of the agency‘s leaders managed to get this order steered to his relative’s shop so they could sell about $500 worth of stuff to the state agency for $14,000.
Report Post »RED-DAWN
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:15am“insensitive and wasteful.” ??? No more so than paying some jackwad to sit home and not get a job for THREE years! I love to hear these people say, “I paid my taxes, I’m entitled to this money.” Well guess what, YOU DID NOT PAY THIS TAX….. As a small business owner, I know you don’t pay this tax, WE DO, THE BUSINESSES PAY THIS TAX, NOT THE EMPLOYEE. The worst part about it is that as a business owner, if my company goes under, I DO NOT QUALIFY TO DRAW UNEMPLOYMENT. Just for the record!
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:25amExactly. I’ve made similar comments to people I used to work with in a factory. Deflated their sense of “red white an’ blue Uhmerican!” posturing while simultaneously attempting to justify being a leech on the socialist system.
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:51am“insensitive and wasteful.” ??? No more so than paying some jackwad to sit home and not get a job for THREE years! ”
Yes but they CAN get a really neat-o red cape……. (heavy sarcasm)
Report Post »SLR Cameras
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:15amJust another example of how our great government uses our hard earned money. Way to go!
Report Post »Pat Alexander
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:14amThese guys are putting the comedy writers out of work…
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:12amMakes you wonder ….don’t it.
Report Post »CaptainSpaulding
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:12amYour tax dollars at work.
Report Post »Unbelievable
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:02amThis after they wasted over 200K on new vehicles for their staff along with many more questionable indiscretions. Workforce of Central Florida is a so-called “non”-profit scam just ripping the American taxpayer off and we’re stupid enough to continue to let it happen!
Report Post »Bushie
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:59amNeed to clean house from the white house to the local unemployment board.
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:59amThis money should be going to help pay our debt instead of capes. This is ridiculous.
Report Post »11:11
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:57amsometimes i think i’ve seen it all, then i see this!!! who makes decisions like this and who are the idiots that think it’s a good idea. OH wait that‘s right it’s fun to spend other peoples money!
Report Post »bhelmet
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:51amThe REAL outrage? All the other states (you and I) are paying for this.
Report Post »randy
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:37amWhich is it? California or Florida?
Report Post »Blaze, you really need to do some proof reading
Slobaphobe
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:46am’tis Florida, the East coast California….
Report Post »POIPNE
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:55amObviously, if it was California they’d have to come in “designer” colors, these are all red.
Report Post »Claire22
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:37amThe Blaze, regarding the headline…It’s Florida, NOT California.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:34amIt’s a shame such a beautiful state is wasted on Californians.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:33amIf WCF is doing its job, word of mouth will bring people in, not red capes. What a pathetic waste of money unless he is appealing to 5 year olds.
Report Post »Elev8n
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:33amN word please. What lib owns the cape mfg. company?
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:54amKick-Back would be the word of the day
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:30amUmmm! ya. If they wanted to waste 14k on B.S. they should of placed a bet on a horse. At least it would have the merit of being able to be worth something.
Report Post »338lapua
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:27amAnd depending on the odds, a chance of a return!
Report Post »alrunner58
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:28amwhat a bunch of nut jobs.
Report Post »beckwill
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:39amNut Non-Jobs you mean?
Report Post »Freedom1984
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 1:20pmHa ha… that was a good one!!!
What they heck are they going to do with all those red capes….
and why would they want to wear them???
if I was UNEMPLOYED… the last thing i would do would be to FLAUNT it by wearing some stupid government RED CAPE!!!!!!
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:28amI‘d bet my entire life’s fortune of $119 that the idea person for this is an Obama voter.
Report Post »beckwill
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:37amYa think?
Report Post »PA PATRIOT
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:38amTed,
Report Post »I got a few empty Jim Beam decanter bottles I can add to the bet!
PA PATRIOT
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:28amHey, What the heck, It is not THEIR MONEY THEY ARE SPENDING. They all probaby had Sushi and fresh Caviar after the shoot. THEY DO NOT GET IT!
Report Post »THEY WILL IN 2012
GhostOfJefferson
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:33amIf my money is going to be flushed down the toilet like this, the least they could do is send me a Batmobile and a neat utility belt.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:39am@Ghost of Jefferson:
At the least, if they will waste it like this, how about they just send us the money back? WE can find better ways to waste or use the money than they can.
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 8:41amIt’s all fun and games until you run out of other peoples money. No wonder this once great state is going broke. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIMRNUGXxII What a pity.
Report Post »Wilma
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:03amAnother WTF moment.
Report Post »bry
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:10am@Ghostofjefferson…love your humor!
There they go again.
Report Post »Why are they treating adults like children? The answer is the “nanny” mentality.
Yes, please rich people…pay more in taxes, the government can think of so many wasteful ways to spend your money.
Beckofile
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:23amWell it will take a cape in Obama’s Wreckonomy to get a job.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:24amI hope they all use them to jump off tall buildings,,,,
Report Post »Dahart
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:28amThis what happens when your Governor is originally from California…..God help us in Florida
Report Post »Rob
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:36amMy neighbor is in his second year of unemployment, and he says as long as they keep extending it, he ain‘t lookin’.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:40amWhat adult unemployment agency official actually thought buying superhero capes was a good idea? I use the ADULT loosely! When it comes to liberals wasting money reality is stupider than fiction..
Report Post »Mannax
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:43amI wonder how many they ordered. If it was a dozen or so, I could have made them for about 100$ plus the cost of materials.
Report Post »Mannax
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:47amWell, if I would RTA (read the article).. 6,000 capes at 2.50$ a piece, not bad Probably not made in America. Still a waste of money to give people who don’t have jobs, superhero capes. Moronic.
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 10:09amWell, golly! Being a Democrat is supposed to be so much fun they just HAD to HAVE those capes! Party pooper!
Report Post »jackrorabbit
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 10:28amFlorida is cutting money to their schools, but buying this? I know one governor that is in serious trouble, and I liked him. Not so sure now.
Report Post »Scott
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 10:38amAdd your comments
Report Post »lillymckim
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 11:02amOMG! the stupidity and irony… it’s so “Government”
Report Post »pavnvet
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 11:10amLet’s look at the bright side. It probably kept a few Chinese workers busy and employed.
It’s a bird, no, it’s a plane, no, it is just a bird brained idea.
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 12:00pmIf I see a guy in a cape, I’m crossing to the other side of the street.*
*ASR- A Seinfeld Reference
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDbN9TZqFcg
Report Post »getalong
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 1:01pmDitto!!
Report Post »PA PATRIOT
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 1:02pm@ MANNAX
Report Post »That is only the cost of the capes. How much did they pay the Ad Agency that came up with this dimwit idea? Probably, 6 zeros.
Hey they did not have to work for the money, so why not spend it. Unlike most Americans who live on or try to live on a BUDGET.
banjarmon
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 1:49pmMoney spent on capes “made in CHINA”….do they run around their office saying wooooosh???
Report Post »No1YaKnow
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 2:34pmWorkforce is one of the most WASTEFUL agencies to ever exist in FL. The first year I lived in FL, I was recommended to go see them about a job. I didn‘t realize they weren’t an actual employment agency until I got there and noticed how much time they wasted on ridiculous recommendations. Literally, they shove some paperwork at you, tell you how to look up jobs on their website and are on their way. Later on–I worked for an actual temporary agency and I hired people in that capacity. Workforce was directly across the street. They would have them fill out useless paperwork and then send them across the street to us, if we signed them on, they were directed to tell Workforce so and Workforce claimed the employment. In my last year of living in FL, the jobs were non-existent, I had to claim unemployment. I was forced to go to Workforce at one point for an orientation. Big joke–waste of time, and mere minor requirement to keep your unemployment benefits coming in. They AGAIN, showed people how to search jobs in their database that was first, FREE and easily found on your own, second, pulled the jobs from all the other private company databases. (Monster, etc.) Though you do not pay state taxes in FL, their goverment size is out of control.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 3:40pmAS A FLORIDA RESIDENT …
Whoever OKAY”D this expense needs to pay it BACK .. WITH INTEREST and THEN BE FIRED!
Report Post »pitboss711
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 5:32pmA good example of how seriously this worthless administration is (not) addressing the unemployment issue. Everyone of these lowlife dogs in this administration should be lined up and shot.
Report Post »frodis
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 9:07pmYou think that’s bad look at the stats that Florida spends on Medicaid every year. No wonder were broke.
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on April 20, 2011 at 10:57pmSuperBama to the rescue!
I just wonder when he will start flying over towns in Airforce one dropping dollar bills from the sky of course with money borrowed from China and Saudi Arabia, so we should all feel better. Then we can go and buy our new Made in China stuff and fill up our cars with Saudi gas. Win Win Win right? The Bama party never ends, Bama, Bama, Bama, please pass another glass of your Bama koolaid!
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