In his State of the State speech, Gov. Rick Scott made a passing reference to his push to eliminate teacher tenure and introduce performance-based pay over opposition from the state’s largest teachers’ union.

The Republican governor conceded, he loves teachers. But….

“Great educators are priceless. Every one of us has a teacher in our past who made a lifelong difference in our lives,” Scott said.

“Educators, like other professionals, should be rewarded based on the effectiveness of their work, not the length of their professional life. That’s why Florida needs to pay the best educators more and end the practice of guaranteeing educators a job for life regardless of their performance.”

In his State of the State, Gov. Rick Scott says he knows that his eat-your-peas approach to spending won’t win him friends.

“The first step to better times is acknowledging that government cannot afford what some have come to expect,” Scott said. “Doing what must be done will not make me “Most Popular,” but I’m determined to make Florida “Most Likely to Succeed.”

In his first State of the State speech, Republican Gov. Rick Scott wasted little time in taking on past administrations and Legislature — many of them Republican.

In a House chamber crowded with lawmakers and family members, Scott affirmed his favorite role as a government outsider by blistering Tallahassee’s spending practices within moments of taking the mike.

He also downplayed the unions, teachers and other Democratic-allies who demonstrated Tuesday outside the Capitol, while paying homage to the tea party activists who rallied in support of his budget-cutting.

“Thousands of our fellow Floridians have assembled here in our Capital – some to criticize our budget priorities, and far more to thank us for our willingness to make hard choices,” Scott said.

 ”For years, politicians have not dared to face the full extent of our financial problems,” he added. “Politics prevailed, even when the numbers did not add up. All the cans that have been kicked down the road are now piled up in front of us.

“Floridians have been encouraged to believe that government could take care of us. But government always takes more than it gives back,” Scott said.

If you don’t like what you hear when Gov. Rick Scott delivers his first State of the State speech at 6 p.m. Tuesday evening, don’t touch that dial.

Scott will be followed by a pair of rebuttals, with Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich of Weston’s recorded comments set to immediately follow Scott. Then, a live response from House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West will be aired.

 The talk-athon will be broadcast on the Florida Channel. In Palm Beach County, Scott’s speech can be viewed on PBC-TV, Channel 20.

The televised, Democratic two-against-one may prove the party’s finest hour during the legislative session. After all, Republicans hold a more than two-to-one advantage on Democrats seated in the Legislature.

Gov. Charlie Crist, center, poses for a picture with Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, right, and Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood.

A prepared copy of Gov. Charlie Crist’s anticipated final State of the State speech is here.

Watch live here.

Expect Crist to take ownership of the state’s decision to spend stimulus money, list off some accomplishments of his first three years and urge lawmakers to focus on cutting taxes in order to create jobs this year.