How much did the state spend on those new gas pump stickers? Less than you’d think.
How much did it cost to plaster Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried’s face on gas pumps across the state?
Turns out, just a touch over $5,000.
The new stickers — 120,000 of them, to be exact — signify that gas pumps have been inspected by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Unlike the stickers bearing former commissioner Adam Putnam’s name, they have a colorful blue and green design with, most notably, an image of Fried’s face. The sticker includes a phone number to report fraud and the web address for a consumer portal. It replaces the traditional seal from administrations past — none of which had the face of the commissioner.
While the decals drew the ire of Republicans who argued that they are out-of-line campaign advertising, the stickers are soon to be out of compliance with Florida law. A bill passed in the legislative session that becomes law on July 1 explicitly says the sticker on the gas pump may only use a “combination of lettering, numbering, words, or the department logo.”
The stickers were ordered on April 19 — two weeks before legislators added the language in the final days of session.
A spokesman for Fried said the department’s legal team is looking through the legislation to see what, if anything, needs to be done.
At a press conference Wednesday, Fried said the attention she’s gotten from the stickers has been a good thing, as customers will “see that there’s someone who’s accountable” for what’s happening at the pumps.
Most people in Florida didn’t even know there was a sticker on the gas station pumps until this change happened, she said.
This story was originally published May 10, 2019 at 1:38 PM.