Joe Henderson: Hey lawmakers — stop slaying boogeymen and start solving problems
Damage from Hurricane Michael.

Damage_from_Hurricane_Michael_0_58587348_ver1.0-1
Maybe lawmakers should have focused more on property insurance mess instead of strawmen.

Florida Republican lawmakers kept busy during the recently completed Legislative Session, slaying boogeymen here, there and everywhere.

Sure, thousands of Floridians were slack-jawed about rapidly escalating property insurance rates. Aw, but that’s so complicated. Keep things simple, with simple soundbites.

The war against the “woke” ideology took priority. And lawmakers had to ban things that teachers don’t teach in school classrooms (see theory, critical race).

Those dedicated public servants had to take courageous stands against transgender athletes. Heaven forbid a teacher might utter the word “gay” in a classroom. With all that going on, do you also expect them to care about how much your insurance bill increased?

Well, Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes does care. He repeatedly tried to coax his colleagues down from their high moral mountain to deal with something that matters to everyday people.

Brandes was not successful but he didn’t give up easily.

He urged GOP leadership to call a second Special Session to face the problem. There’s already a Special Session starting April 19 to deal with the unsolved issue of new congressional district maps. Gov. Ron DeSantis called that one after vetoing maps sent to him by the House and Senate.

Lawmakers need to settle the map issue, leaving no time to take up the insurance mess at that Session. Hence, the call for a second Session. Brandes wants to remind lawmakers that they should be concerned about this issue.

“Florida’s private property insurance market has collapsed, and it is evident we must call a Special Session to address this dire situation,” Brandes wrote in a letter to House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Senate President Wilton Simpson. “With the 2022 hurricane season quickly approaching and an unstable market, the Legislature chose to leave homeowners exposed to a perfect storm of rising rates, limited coverage, and diminishing options.”

Interesting choice of words there: a perfect storm.

In the last year alone, four companies refused to renew more than 120,000 policies. Use the word “people” instead of “policies” to understand what that decision means. Multiply 120,000 by the number of people living in those homes, and soon you’re talking about real political consequences.

Two other insurance companies went bankrupt, and other companies imposed large rate hikes.

Living in what DeSantis loves to say is the “free state of Florida” isn’t free. For many, it’s damn near unaffordable. Is this where we remind lawmakers that people vote with their wallets and pocketbooks?

The Legislative Session is supposed to be about providing solutions to real problems. This year, though, it was about creating strawmen that they could slay. DeSantis said he is open to a Special Session but doesn’t anticipate any change until after the November election.

That seems like a rather casual approach to a significant problem.

But hey, at least teachers can’t say “gay” now.

Joe Henderson

I have a 45-year career in newspapers, including nearly 42 years at The Tampa Tribune. Florida is wacky, wonderful, unpredictable and a national force. It's a treat to have a front-row seat for it all.


3 comments

  • Bogeyman

    April 6, 2022 at 7:59 pm

    Hey Joe, pay attention to spelling and diction, and quit trying to persuade people that it is up to the government to bail them out of their difficulties. If you can’t afford your house, move.

  • Joe Henderson

    April 6, 2022 at 8:58 pm

    Boogeyman is the typical spelling used in the U.S.

    Bogeyman, I believe, is the usual spelling used in U.K.

    I pay attention to.a lot of things. Oh, and way to show concern for others beyond yourself.
    https://www.quora.com/Is-it-boogeyman-or-bogeyman
    Whether it is spelled Boogeyman or Bogeyman (sometimes other people spell it Bogieman or Boogie Man) it means the same thing, a mythical malevolent creature that has no specific form and appearance, but is simply an embodiment of fear and terror.

  • Albert Gabrielli

    April 7, 2022 at 4:04 pm

    The Florida Legislature needs to take up some new laws regarding Condo Associations and HOAs. Currently in Florida, an “investor” can come into each condo or home owners community and buy a condo and not be a resident. Then, if the Board of that community hasn’t passed by-laws regarding the amount of time they can rent or lease, the investor can do an AirBB or Vrgo and rent by the day, by the week, it god forbid not 30 days or more. They can also lease all year long without limits on the times they can rent or lease (I.e., three times a year). Most residents come to Florida to create and develop a community among themselves and their neighbors. The last thing they anticipate is some “squatters” coming in and taking over their community and making it a hotel for anyone who wants to use it. Look up how much property the mega securities firm Blackstone has invested in. If they sold it all off, the real estate market nationally will go straight down the drain.

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