Gov. Rick Scott apparently would rather make nice with oil officials than make sure Florida is justly compensated for the devastating losses it suffered during last year's Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

At stake could be more than $2 billion, which would be used to offset lost sales taxes and bed taxes, reduced property values and environmental damage.

Scott is refusing to consider litigation and won't join a lawsuit that will decide how much the rig owner, Transocean, owes claimants and to what degree other companies involved in the disaster, including BP, should be held accountable.

The deadline for joining the lawsuit is April 20, which will be the one-year anniversary of the blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.

Though joining the suit would give the state leverage to ensure BP and others don't walk away from their obligations, Scott told the Palm Beach Post, "My goal is to not have to go through litigation and make sure that BP does the right thing."

Admirable sentiments, but it may take more than sentiments to force the oil companies to give Florida what it deserves.

Scott had already signaled he was going to be compliant. As the Tribune's Rob Shaw reported last month, the governor never contacted Tampa attorney Steve Yerrid, whom former Gov. Charlie Crist had appointed as a special counsel on the spill.

Yerrid, who had helped the state win billions in a settlement with major tobacco companies, was preparing a legal strategy for the state.

Scott apparently wasn't interested.

He seemed delighted this week when BP agreed to give $30 million to boost tourism in the Panhandle, which suffered damage from the spill.

But no money went to West-Central Florida communities, which also saw a steep decline in tourism because of fears about the Gulf of Mexico pollution.

Scott's aversion to litigation is understandable, but it also leaves the state with little recourse. Louisiana and Alabama are expected to pursue the court case.

Florida, facing a $3.75 billion shortfall, needs the money. More importantly, it deserves compensation for the losses it suffered, which can be proved in court. As U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor of Hillsborough puts it, if Florida does not file a claim for lost tax revenues, there will be "no incentive" for the oil interests to give Florida a fair shake.

The issue should not be muddled by an impressive Associated Press investigation that found much of the BP compensation for the spill, sent directly to communities, was spent on questionable priorities, including sport utility vehicles for politicians. The reports estimated about $400 million of the BP funds was spent on legitimate purposes, but as much as $150 million was wasted.

The danger of such waste and abuse occurs whenever money is poured into communities without sufficient oversight. A thorough investigation is warranted.

But that does not change the reality that the spill severely damaged Florida's environment and coastal economies. All jurisdictions affected deserve to be reimbursed.

The governor should focus on obtaining Florida's rightful compensation and then making sure the money is spent appropriately.