JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- In an 11th-hour attempt to protect his state from sequestration, Florida Gov. Rick Scott is pleading with decision makers to find a better way.
"The President, Congress, they need to do their jobs," said Scott.
On the eve of sequestration, Scott is full of criticism for those making the decisions.
"Sequestration doesn't make any sense."
So he sent a letter to the one person he hopes can change his state's fate: President Barack Obama.
"I'm worried about the National Guard. They show up when we have wildfires, they show up when we have hurricanes," he told Action News.
Military cuts are his biggest concern. In black and white, Scott tells President Obama in his letter that the sequestration would result in the failure to transfer three ships of an amphibious-ready group.
It's something local leaders only thought was a possibility.
"The Amphibious-Ready Group coming, I believe that decision has not been made, however it's clear that it's on the table," said Jacksonville's Head of Military Affairs, Admiral Victor Guillory.
But we pressed the governor and he says he got word from the top.
"We got it though our D.C. office," he said.
He says 17 percent of our local economy is driven by the defense industry.
As far as what we will see Friday, that's a question not even our own governor could answer.
"It's going to start and they're going to continue as long as they can't get together we're going to continue to lose jobs in Florida."
Even with the clock quickly ticking down, no one is letting go of hope in the coming hours, Congress and the president will reach a better deal.
