FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida's two gubernatorial nominees offered sharply different visions for the state's economy Wednesday at the WLRN Sunshine Economy Summit in downtown Fort Lauderdale, where affordability, property taxes, and hurricane insurance dominated the conversation.
Democrat David Jolly and Republican Byron Donalds spoke in back-to-back 30-minute panel discussions, but were kept separate throughout the event.
WATCH BELOW: Governor candidates clash on property taxes, insurance
Property tax exemption
One of the sharpest divides came over Amendment 3, a ballot measure that would raise the homestead tax exemption to $250,000 over two years — a question Florida voters will also decide this November.
Donalds said he supports the measure.
"I think voters need relief. I think the property owners need relief," Donalds said.
"I anticipate I will vote against Amendment 3," Jolly told the audience. "I don't think the math works, and I think we know that because even Ron DeSantis now won't campaign for Amendment 3, and our sheriffs have come out and said, 'Please don't do this. It's going to defund services.'"
Let's Hear It
Let's Hear It: Property Tax Town Hall on Oct. 6
Hurricane insurance
Disaster relief and insurance costs also emerged as a major point of contrast.
Jolly is proposing a sovereign wealth fund that would absorb hurricane and wind insurance burdens for Floridians.
"We are not going to solve this without government taking on a larger role in backing this. Otherwise, people are going to be priced out of their homes," Jolly said.
Donalds said that plan won't work. He is instead calling for the elimination of a premium surcharge that contributes to the state's catastrophic fund.
"We get through this hurricane season, the Cat Fund is estimated to have somewhere between 13 and 13-and-a-half billion dollars. So why do we have a 25% kicker on top to keep filling the Cat Fund, whose statutory limit is $17 billion? My view is to get rid of the kicker. That would lower premiums for every policyholder in the state," Donalds said.
No debate
Jolly announced earlier this week that he will not debate Donalds — making this the first gubernatorial election in 50 years in which Florida voters won't see the nominees face off.
"It just became obvious that this is not going to contribute to a more constructive political environment, and that's the bottom line. I understand some people have concerns about it. I just promise you, for me, this is a moment bigger than politics," Jolly told reporters after his panel discussion.
Donalds said he wants the debate to happen.
"He said something about how I lied about him — which is a lie, by the way — and so he doesn't want to debate," Donalds said in response to questions following his panel. "Well, that's what debates are for: to clarify all that stuff. So I want to do it. I look forward to it. The ball's in his court."
Jolly was direct when asked if his decision could change.
"My decision's final," Jolly said.
Despite their differences, both candidates share at least one position: a commitment to keeping Florida free of a state income tax.
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