Rep. Fine: My bill eases rules that stifle business
A bill of mine recently came under scrutiny from a local leader and friend (Where We Stand: “Don’t gut home rule in Florida,” Orlando Sentinel, March 9). That struck me, and moved me to write this.
As a member of the House of Representatives, I am committed to advancing legislation that benefits all Floridians. I am making choices and drafting legislation with you in mind — for the good of our future. I ran for office because I was unhappy with what the future looked like for my two boys — and every day I spend in Tallahassee is focused on improving their lives, and the lives of all our children.
One of my key promises was to make Florida the best place in America to start, build and grow a business, so that every Floridian can find a great, high-paying job. That is why House Bill 17 — which reduces burdensome regulations on business by limiting local politicians’ ability to pass regulations on business to those specifically allowed by the state — is so important.
Over decades, local politicians have layered law after law upon small- and medium-sized businesses attempting to start and grow in their communities. I spent my career in the private sector and had to deal with government regulation. Make no mistake: Each of these regulations is effectively a tax, and makes it more difficult for these companies to thrive. Perhaps these politicians are wellintentioned, believing they are creating a better environment for their children and families, but they have created unintended consequences.
Either way, with more than 400 cities and 67 counties in our state, these local politicians have created an incoherent patchwork of regulations in each town and county so that now a diner that opens in one Florida city has to jump through hoops to open a second location 30 minutes away.
Some politicians are attempting to create hysteria by stating that the passage of HB 17 will render them powerless to pass any laws regulating business. They are wrong. The Florida Statutes are six volumes long. They encompass 1,013 chapters, and all the core functions we need local government to handle are included. Don’t be fooled by their desires to hold onto political power.
In countless small towns across our state — and in our own region — entrepreneurs are frustrated and Floridians are jobless. I’m afraid that if something isn’t done now, our kids’ dreams of opening their own business will be unattainable because of the increasingly difficult business environment created by local governments.
If citizens want new businesses, new job opportunities and a say in what regulations a business must comply with in their hometown, they should contact my House colleagues to support HB 17 and give businesses and Florida families a chance.