Scott names economic advisors

Donna Arduin, a former director for the Florida office of policy and budget under Jeb Bush, heads a six-member Economic Advisory Council appointed by Gov.-elect Rick Scott. The economics and budget experts will advise Scott throughout the budget process on implementing his “7-7-7” plan — a seven-step plan to create 700,000 jobs in seven years. Arduin is president of Arduin, Laffer & Moore Econometrics.

Council members also include Tad DeHaven, a state and federal budget analyst with the Cato Institute; former Texas State Rep. Talmadge Heflin, director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation; Randall Holcombe, professor of economics at Florida State University and a senior fellow at The James Madison Institute, a Tallahassee-based think tank; Arthur Laffer, founder and chairman of economic research firm Laffer Associates; and Robert McClure, president and CEO of The James Madison Institute. The council will be based in Fort Lauderdale.