Florida gubernatorial candidate Paul Renner (R) slammed Florida lawmakers for, so far, failing to pass a state budget to address property taxes, insurance, and utility rates in a press statement this week.
"With just days left in the legislative session, the Florida House and Senate are once again locked in a budget standoff, putting politics and pride ahead of the people they were elected to serve," Renner said. "Any difference in spending should be resolved through good-faith negotiation. Instead, for the second year in a row, the legislature will fail in the one constitutional duty it has to perform: passing the state budget."
"But the most painfully obvious dereliction of duty is how Florida families are telling legislators loud and clear: the cost of living is crushing them. Property taxes, insurance, utilities - the basics of staying in your home - are getting harder to afford every year, and Tallahassee has just ignored it."
Renner, the former Florida House Speaker, urged the Florida legislature to get going on property tax reform in an interview with The Floridan last month. He also laid out his own plan to address several affordability issues, including insurance costs and energy prices.
House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami) indicated this week that the 2026-27 state budget would not be completed by the end of the session, which concludes Friday.
The House passed a $113.6 billion budget in February, with the Senate passing its a $115 billion budget soon after. But both sides appear to be gridlocked on spending particulars.
"With respect to the budget, as it is abundantly clear to all of you, we will not complete the 2026-2027 state budget by the end of this week," Perez said on the House floor. Allocation conversations are proceeding, and we will have an update for you and news to share in the days to come."
Renner essentially called Perez's explanation "unacceptable."
He also demanded the Legislature address affordability as a "right now" priority. According to a recent UNF poll, affordability/cost of living is an overwhelming concern facing Floridians.
"The gridlock, the excuses, and the failure to act on the biggest issues facing our constituents is unacceptable. When half of Floridians say affordability is their number one concern, doing nothing is not just disappointing - it's an abdication of responsibility and a failure of leadership."
