Q&A with Florida House of Representative District 82 Republican Candidate Liesa Priddy
Liesa Priddy is a long-time Immokalee farmer and landowner, and now she has her sights set on the District 82 seat for the Florida House of Representatives.
She has extensive experience on the state level as she served on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC, a wildlife protection agency with state constitution powers.
Priddy, 68, was appointed to the FWC board by then Gov. Rick Scott in 2012, and her tenure ended in December of 2017.
Priddy is also influential in District 82, where her family farm sits in the midst of the breeding core of the endangered Florida panther. The district spans from the coastal Everglades to Lake Okeechobee.
Republicans can vote in the race with a mail-in ballot or in-person during early voting, which begins Aug. 8, or on election day, which is Aug. 18.
Q: Why are you the best person to represent District 82 in Tallahassee, and what in your background has prepared you to do the job effectively?
A: My diverse background and familiarity with the needs of District 82 make me the best candidate. I have a long history of serving as a volunteer at the local and state level and I want to use that experience in an elected capacity. My education includes a BBA in Finance and a BA in Environmental Studies with a minor in Biology. My background is in banking, management, administration, conservation, small business ownership and agriculture.
Q: Describe your political brand and where you fall on the political spectrum?
A: I am a Republican and always have been. I consider myself an America First conservative who is fiscally conservative and supports limited government and free enterprise. I believe in the second amendment and advocate for border control and security.
Top Florida legislative priorities for Liesa Priddy, if elected
Q: If elected, what are your top three priorities for this district, and what specific legislation or actions would you push to address them?
A: After speaking with and polling my constituents, several issues rose to the top in terms of importance: water, government overreach and affordability. I want to support legislation that addresses continued Everglades restoration as well as the improvement of Lake Okeechobee. I also want to support efforts to convert septic tanks to sewer systems where feasible. For areas where it's not feasible, incentives should be implemented to encourage homeowners to install updated septic systems.
The second issue pertains to excessive government. Free enterprise is the key to allowing families, businesses and agriculture to prosper. Finally, affordability will be improved by reducing the cost of housing, whether it’s taxes, insurance or construction. Holding a Southwest Florida roundtable in the first 90 days to hear suggestions for limiting government and reducing housing costs will guide my efforts in these areas. My goal is simple: fewer obstacles between hardworking Floridians and the opportunity they deserve.
Affordability in the Naples area, Florida
Q: Southwest Florida residents consistently cite affordability — including homeowners' insurance, rent, utility bills, groceries and property taxes — as a top concern. What should the state do to bring costs down or provide relief?
A: Strides have already been made by the state to reduce insurance costs, but more work can be done in this area. Rent reductions, as well as home prices, are a function of supply and demand. Counties in particular should look at ways to increase density and limit sprawl. The state needs to keep a close eye on requests for electricity rate increases. If the constitutional amendment for property tax reductions does not pass, the state needs to look at alternative property tax relief.
Property tax reform in Florida
Q; The governor and Legislature are making moves to reduce or eliminate property taxes. What is your stance?
A: I agree that we should lower taxes and make home ownership more affordable for hard working families. My worry is that this particular approach will simply end up as a tax shift, and a tax shift doesn’t help families.
I wish the legislature had spent more time to offer an amendment that was less drastic and more responsible. Here’s what I mean; Governor DeSantis proposed a fund to assist nearly half of Florida’s small, largely rural, fiscally constrained counties. These counties, like Hendry County which is in House District 82, are without large commercial or tourism related properties and their budgets would be devastated by this amendment, because in its current form, the common-sense fund that Governor DeSantis proposed is not included. We have to watch out for unintended consequences.
Property insurance policy in Florida
Q: Property insurance remains a critical issue in Florida, especially in coastal and hurricane-prone communities. What changes, if any, would you support to improve coverage availability and lower premiums?
A: Flood prone areas will be the hardest hit in obtaining property insurance. This can be mitigated with home-hardening and flood-proofing properties located in high-risk areas. Higher premiums are a result of climate disasters that cause too many claims at once. Insurance companies have a responsibility to stay in business and may have to charge higher premiums as a result. Limiting their exposure as much as possible will help limit premium increases. Implementation of stronger building standards since Hurricane Andrew will be very helpful
Managing growth and development
Q: What role should the state play in managing growth while protecting quality of life? What related legislation would you support or introduce?
A: Affordable housing means making it possible for working families, young professionals, and seniors to stay in the communities they love. I support increasing housing supply, expanding workforce housing, helping first-time homebuyers, and reducing the insurance costs that drive up rents and home prices. Growth should be planned responsibly so we preserve the quality of life that attracted people here in the first place.
Collier County already has a strong Growth Management Plan and Land Development Code. They also have the Rural Land Stewardship program. These programs offer guidelines which are designed to allow smart growth. Growth can also be controlled by limiting zoning changes. All of these tools should reflect the citizens’ desires and be implemented through their county commissioners. As the desires and needs of the citizens change, the tools can be reviewed and changed. I support home rule but will certainly consider state involvement when called for.
Environmental protection in Florida
Q: Clean water, environmental protection and resilience remain major issues in this region. What should the state legislature do to better protect waterways, address pollution and safeguard Florida’s natural environment?
A: The state, along with federal partners, should continue with Everglades restoration, including the improvement of the health of Lake Okeechobee. I have already addressed septic system improvements. Florida has already made great strides in protecting our environment. The state should continue to fund improvements on a local basis to make sure that upgrades will proceed. The state should continue to fund improvements on a local basis to make sure that upgrades will proceed.
Affordable housing in SW Florida & Florida
Q: Affordable housing is an ongoing challenge, including for renters. What state-level solutions do you support to increase housing affordability and availability?
A: As I answered previously in Question 4, it’s an issue of supply and demand in conjunction with lowering insurance costs and controlling taxes.
Education
Q: Education remains a major issue, from school choice and public-school funding shortfalls to teacher shortages and curriculum debates. What changes would you support, and where do you think the state is getting it right or wrong?
A: I think the state is getting it right by giving parents the option to choose which type of schooling is best for their child. Parents should continue to have the final input as to their child’s education. Teacher shortages can be addressed by offering incentives to attract those in other careers to becoming teachers, consider offering incentives for teachers to remain working instead of retiring. Many education issues should be considered at the local level.
Immigration enforcement and policy in Florida
Q: President Trump and Gov. DeSantis have made immigration enforcement and deportation top priorities in their second terms. Do you agree or disagree with the policies? Why? How do you think immigration should be handled by Florida?
A: In general, I agree with President Trump and Governor DeSantis. The United States’ immigration policies need to be enforced, and Florida should assist in every way. Those who are here illegally should be deported. Illegal immigrants are a drain on our economy and resources. The federal government should review the guidelines for U.S. immigration to ensure there are clear paths in place for legal immigration so that people can become a contributing part of our country, not a liability.
Arts & culture funding in Florida
Q: The state has dramatically cut arts-and-culture funding over the last three years. Do you agree or disagree with that? Why? How would you do things differently?
A: Arts and culture need to be funded in a more dependable manner than has been seen recently. The cultural sector needs more funding certainty. I don’t think it should be zero. Perhaps it should be determined by applying a certain percentage to the overall budget, so that in lean times it is less and in robust times it is more.