Safely Reopen our Local Economy

 

Every elected official, across every level of government, should focus all of their efforts in transitioning from pandemic to prosperity. 

 

That means we have to safely reopen our local economy – allow businesses to function at a profit while continuing to practice sensible and practical safety measures.

 

To help our local businesses and employees navigate these difficult times, we must keep taxes low on our small businesses and working families as well as make it easier for Floridians to find work and obtain licenses to start their careers. 

 

Investing in Infrastructure

 

Traffic congestion, neighborhood flooding, sewage releases into our waterways – we have many infrastructure challenges.  Fortunately, Florida’s transportation trust fund is one of the most fiscally sound in the nation and we can continue to invest in new roads, infrastructure upgrades, and flood mitigation efforts.  But the time is now. 

 

Florida should protect the fiscal stability of our transportation trust fund and continue to frontload projects that upgrade our infrastructure during the pandemic and after.

 

Continue Historic Investments into our Schools

 

Florida invests roughly $25 billion annually in our schools – including $500 million in teacher pay raises.  There are many great programs and scholarships that are helping students achieve and giving parents peace of mind – including the Hope Scholarship, the Gardiner Scholarship for children with special needs, and the Bright Futures Scholarship for our high achieving high school students.

 

These successful and popular programs, along with the new teacher pay raise, must be protected as we continue to improve our public schools and make the proper investments in our classrooms and teachers.

 

Reform our Foster Care System to Find Children Healthy and Forever Homes

 

As a family law attorney, Traci helps children and families find healthy, stable, and forever homes.  Florida’s foster care system needs to make greater strides in pairing foster children with stable homes and looking out for the well-being of foster kids first and foremost. 

 

We must stop the practice of pulling children out of loving homes and into unstable and uncertain living environments.