Republican Rick Scott will take the final step in his improbable journey from public housing to the Governor's Mansion when he is sworn in at high noon today as the state's 45th governor.

Scott, 58, will take office with the same pro-business zeal he displayed on the campaign trail, delivering an inaugural speech acknowledging the state's economic crisis and promising tax cuts and less government spending as a harbinger of job growth in Florida.

After the speech, Scott will sign two executive orders. The first halts new business regulations in Florida. The second will reaffirm the state's commitment to diversity, but a Scott spokesman declined to provide details.

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