Florida Legislature: Promises, whiff, repeat

That glorious morning in March seems eternal with Tallahassee’s Republican leaders launching a 2025 legislative meeting and wide-ranging calls to make Florida more affordable. They put it thicker than usual – envisaging tax cuts, insurance reforms and greater consumer protection. But even after more than 100 days, even after the extended session, lawmakers were unable to realize these so-called priorities.

Is someone surprised? This is how Tallahassee works.

Florida State Senators have been hired for a long time and are not short of them. For many politicians, it’s simply a part of their DNA. However, other factors explain the achievement gap, ranging from the two-year election cycle to the fierce addicted lawmakers, from the regulated industry that funds political campaigns. The time limit was useless. They reinforce partisan orthodoxy and hierarchical slavery, crying out a sense of long-term perspective and accountability. Republicans may enjoy single-party rules, but the near lack of match between checks and balance has sidelined the voices of the average people in the policy-making process. It hurts Floridians of all political stripes.

I can’t pretend I’m too disappointed. The rhetorical war between the governor and the legislature over tax cuts was dishonest from the start. Did anyone really believe Florida could eliminate property taxes and keep schools, sewers and fire departments open? “Police Refund” is the slogan of losing, and why Republicans didn’t learn from Democrats that no one had previously guessed. However, false tax promises are to buy time for Republicans to indulge in the backstabs within their party, and to distract public anxiety about rising costs of living.

House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Republican from Miami, highlighted two victories over consumers. An extension of sales tax holidays back to school and annual sales tax cuts for disaster relief supplies. It’s all going well, but how many backpacks, colored pencils and generators do you need? Lawmakers also eliminated the business rent tax, a practical, modest move that would be useful for small businesses. But they did nothing about tax, insurance or regulatory reforms targeting the average household. They found time to approve a newly formulated scheme that allowed charter schools to take over space on traditional taxpayer-funded campuses.

These are all conscious decisions. How lawmakers spend their time, their bills go through and fail. After years of protests across the state, it would have been easy for lawmakers to prioritize the issue of bread and butter. Gov. Ron DeSantis is injured after being brought up in a charity scandal. The Florida education system was overwhelmed by submission, surrendering in the face of the ban on books and the grifts of Florida universities and universities. Lawmakers ran out of fake wars for wages, and Florida’s affordable price crisis was hit all over the board. Even Perez’s idea of ​​lowering the state’s sales tax rate was ripe for immediate and serious consideration. However, Tallahassee has been on Autopilot for a long time, so no one wants to bother him.

The result: We always get what we get: Congress’ promises will come back and try again. For example, the House said it would revisit the results of state insurance companies crying and showing affiliate companies crying while raking billions of dollars. Also, if police, firefighters and other union groups are seriously in a pinch, the next fight can be even more troubling, but you can also expect another fuss over the tax.

So, what magic in 2026 did not exist in 2025? Re-election. Lawmakers have no incentives to resolve anything prematurely. Why am I a hero now when I don’t get paid? If anything, with the affordability crisis, lawmakers can increase leverage and be more fundamentally fair by allowing them to throw breadcrumbs at consumers instead of restructuring insurance and tax laws. Voters have famous short memories. So, there’s another legislative meeting in 2026 just a few months before the election, so why do something now?

There’s something here. Lawmakers will continue to talk about taxes and insurance for the next few months. You may see the Blue Ribbon Committee or two piling up with regular suspects. Lawmakers could coalesce on some minor reforms – demanding tax exemptions, for example, or more disclosures from insurance companies. As election season heats up next summer, these same lawmakers will flood our mailboxes with flyers celebrating consumer Bonafiden, paid for campaign contributions from builders, utilities, banks and retailers.

This cycle of inaction has become a sarcastic game. Lawmakers won’t address Florida’s affordability until voters demand it. That means the earliest in 2026. In the meantime, we hear a lot about partisan labels, but little about Florida’s plot to determine winners and losers.