To Make Florida Affordable Again, Our Elected Leaders Need To:
Bring Down Property Insurance Costs
- Let's prioritize annual funding for the My Safe Florida Home Program, which aims to make Florida homes more resilient to storm damage. This would not only increase safety but also help lower property insurance rates for Floridians. Although the program has been funded only twice in 17 years, consistent annual support could help homeowners better plan for the future.
- The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation is pivotal in ensuring fair pricing for consumers. By intensifying scrutiny on insurance rate hike applications, they can safeguard Floridians from unwarranted and burdensome premium increases.
- Scrutinize Citizens Property Insurance’s underwriting standards.Flood zone insurance should be optional for those not residing in designated flood areas.
Bring Down Out-Of-Control Utility Rates
- We can lower our utility bills by strengthening the Florida Public Service Commission, the body tasked with regulating Florida’s utility monopolies. We can bring teeth back to the Commission by appointing commissioners who prioritize consumer interests over electric utility executives and shareholders.
- Your electric bill shouldn’t be used to pay for political activities. Let’s ban utilities from passing on lobbying costs and political donations to customers through industry associations like the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
- Stop the privatization of municipally-owned utilities, including Florida’s water utilities.
Bring Down Healthcare Costs
- Thousands of people have been kicked off of Florida’s Medicaid program since 2021. No one should forgo medical care due to their financial situation.
- Let’s accept Federal funds and expand the Medicaid program once and for all, so Florida is a healthier place for everyone.
Fix Florida's Broken Unemployment Insurance Program
- Every Florida worker and business pays into our unemployment insurance program. It is a safety net for Floridians who are laid off or lose their job and need time to get back on their feet. And it is money they have earned.
- When Floridians needed this program the most, it wasn't there for them. And the program hasn't kept pace with the rising cost of living in Florida.
- Florida’s unemployment benefit amount has not been updated since 1998, providing only $275 a week, or about $1100 a month. With the recent explosion in the cost of living, it is critical that Florida modernize the unemployment benefits more so that a lost job is not a one-way ticket to poverty.
Bring Down the Cost of Housing
- Finding an affordable place to live is increasingly out of reach for more and more Floridians, including people who have lived here for decades. We can bring down the cost of housing by encouraging regional zoning rules that allow for much more affordable housing units to be built.
- Bring the cap on property taxes from 3% down to 2%.
- Easing the property insurance crisis will bring down pressure on renters and homeowners alike.
Protect Florida's Democracy
- A key component to making Florida affordable again is ensuring Floridians’ voices are heard in our political process.
- Citizen-led ballot initiatives are a cornerstone of direct democracy, empowering individuals to enact change when elected leaders may lag behind. They not only ensure that the people’s voice is heard but also serve as a vital balance on power, safeguarding the interests of the community and promoting responsive governance.
- Respect our constitutional amendment process and the decisions made through it. Uphold the amendments Florida voters have passed, such as those for the minimum wage.
- Recognize and adhere to local ordinances that voters approve to better conditions for working families.
Protect Unions, Worker Safety and Wages
- Democracy in the workplace is crucial to lifting wages for everyday Floridians. Stop cracking down on unions, which are the backbone of the middle class.
- It’s time to let union organizers hold free and fair elections without interference and stop stripping them of their constitutionally protected right to organize.
- The minimum wage has lifted millions of people out of poverty. We should reject any attempts to chip away at minimum wage laws for young people, people with disabilities or any other group.
