Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in a fly-in to Washington, D.C., where I met with our federal representatives, including Senators Scott and Rubio and Congressmen Steube and Buchanan, to advocate for issues impacting our business community. This was organized as part of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Governmental Action Committee.

During our trip, we addressed several critical issues affecting our community and local businesses. Below is a summary of the four key topics discussed Flood Insurance, Child Care, Real Estate and Transportation:

1. Flood Insurance
– The National Flood Insurance Program is set to expire on September 30, 2024.
– Florida bears a disproportionate financial burden compared to other states.
– In Manatee County, 2,500 claims have been submitted for flooding from Hurricane Debby, totaling $58 million; however, only $3 million has been paid out by FEMA thus far.

2. Childcare: A Family and Employee Issue
– There is a severe lack of affordable, accessible, and enriched childcare programs.
– Early childhood education has been shown to improve graduation rates. Children who attend early education programs have higher success rates in school.
– Childcare costs have surged by $11,000 annually, putting further strain on families.
– Public-private efforts in Sarasota County, led by Representative Fiona McFarland, are driving the establishment of new daycare programs.
– Since 2021, Manatee County has experienced a 17% increase in the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population, affecting more than 77,000 households.
– Currently, over 300 children are waitlisted for daycare in Manatee County.

3. Real Estate
– We advocated for the **More Homes on the Market Act (HR 1321)**, which seeks to increase the Homestead Capital Gain Exemption for primary residences.
– We also support the continuation of 1031 Exchanges, which allow for the deferral of capital gains.

4. Transportation
– The House is backing key federal projects in Manatee County.
– We requested that Senators Scott and Rubio lend their support to these critical transportation initiatives.