Does Florida Have an Affordability Problem? We Asked Sen. Rick Scott | WSJ

TL;DR

Senator Rick Scott admits Florida's middle class is being priced out and that housing, insurance, and business recruitment must improve to reverse the exodus.

Key Points

• 1.Scott confirms Florida has a worsening affordability problem. Net migration from other states has slowed significantly, and Scott acknowledges that wealthy enclaves like Naples and Palm Beach are thriving while middle-class and working-class residents struggle to stay.
• 2.Florida is no longer reliably affordable for teachers, nurses, and blue-collar workers. Scott flatly said it is 'harder' for such workers to find affordable housing, noting that most housing cost solutions must come at the local and state level, not federal.
• 3.Scott argues Florida must compete aggressively on business recruitment and cost reduction. He cited recruiting companies like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, cutting taxes and fees, and maintaining a sensible regulatory environment as the path to keeping working-age residents.
• 4.Soaring home insurance rates are a central reader complaint, and Scott deflects blame. He pointed to trial bar fraud as the main driver of premium increases during his governorship, while acknowledging elected officials should always do more if costs haven't come down sufficiently.