Politics
Dawn Shirreffs: The storm before the storm
Florida’s hurricane season was quieter than usual for much of the state, but a storm is still brewing as the election approaches.
The Donald Trump administration is signaling that it plans to cut Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster aid and shift more responsibility to the states. FEMA’s Administrator has told state emergency managers to build stronger financial reserves so they can handle more disasters with less federal help.
No state has more at stake than Florida. According to a Florida Policy Institute analysis, hurricanes and tropical storms in 2023 and 2024 cost the state over $38 billion, and federal assistance has covered $16 billion of it so far.
Voters will face two ballot questions that bear on this directly. Amendment 1 would raise the cap on the state’s rainy-day fund from 10% to 25% of general revenue. The fund now sits at its current $5 billion limit. The Legislature backed the change by a wide margin, and Gov. Ron DeSantis opposes it, calling it a “foolish” proposal and noting the state already has a maxed-out fund.
Amendment 3 would cut property taxes, and state economists estimate it would reduce local property tax revenue by about $5 billion in its first year and $11.8 billion a year after five years. The Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association and the Florida Sheriffs Association have both come out against it, warning of uncertainty over how fire rescue and EMS would be funded.
Voters will decide, but no result will change the reality that when the next major hurricane arrives, Florida’s Governor and Legislature will have to manage a recovery with a thinner federal partner. A bigger rainy-day fund and a smaller local tax base both change who pays. Neither one changes how much damage the storm does.
Thankfully, there are three things Florida policymakers should prioritize to protect communities regardless of the outcomes on Nov. 3.
— First, invest in resilience before the storm: Substantially increase funding for the Resilient Florida Trust Fund and for nature-based infrastructure, such as restored wetlands, living shorelines and better stormwater systems. These give local communities the tools to guard against flooding, and every dollar spent before a storm reduces the bill that follows.
— Second, put risk data to work in insurance: Build climate and risk-reduction data into the models used for underwriting and pricing. Insurers can then reward the homes and neighborhoods that have made themselves safer. Smart public investment, real incentives for safeguards and more affordable premiums all depend on pricing that reflects actual risk.
— Third, build stronger: Build on Florida’s already strong building codes by expanding incentives and access to enhanced wind- and water-resistant construction and retrofits that protect families, reduce storm damage, lower insurance risk and improve long-term affordability.
None of this depends on Washington, and none of it requires a choice between tax relief and safety. It is the work of a state that decides to meet bigger storms with better preparation.
Florida has rebuilt after Andrew, Charley, Irma, Michael, Ian, Helene and Milton. Each time, its people and communities did the hard part. This time, with less help coming from Washington, we can choose to prevent the damage instead of only paying for it. The storm clouds are gathering, but the state still has time to prepare, and the candidates we elect should commit to doing so.
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Dawn Shirreffs is the Florida Director for the Environmental Defense Fund.
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