Meet the HD 82 candidates: Bill Poteet

Bill Poteet is competing against Liesa Priddy in the House District 82 Republican Primary for the chance to succeed Rep. Lauren Melo, who is running for Senate.

The rural district covers eastern Collier County and all of Hendry County. Melo won the seat with 70% of the vote in 2024.

Melo has endorsed Priddy, though Poteet has the backing of the Florida Realtors PAC. The winner will face Democrat Arthur Boyer in November.

Florida Politics asked both candidates to answer a few questions. We are publishing their responses unedited so voters can hear directly from candidates. Here’s what Poteet told us:

— Profession: Owner/broker of Poteet Properties Inc, a local real estate brokerage firm founded in 1996 providing residential and commercial real estate services to Southwest Florida.

— Education: Bill Poteet is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor degree in Arts and Science and holds the prestigious CCIM designation from the CCIM Institute in Chicago, Illinois.

— Years in the district: I have lived in Collier County for over 53 years and within District 82 since the Legislature initially created it.

— Community involvement: Bill Poteet has held leadership roles throughout Southwest Florida, including President of the Naples Area Board of Realtors, the Golden Gate Civic Association, and the Marco Island Jaycees. He served 17 years as Chairman of Conservation Collier and also chaired Florida Realtors PAC, Florida Realtors Land Use, and the Alligator District Boy Scouts. He was vice president of Florida Jaycees, the Florida CCIM Chapter and served on community boards including the Naples Chamber of Commerce and Naples Better Government. His public service has focused on housing, transportation, the environment, education, homelessness, and Republican political efforts, including multiple Senator Rubio campaigns.

— Why are you running? What are your top priorities if elected? I’m running to protect our quality of life and ensure Southwest Florida remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. I’m running to bring practical, result-driven leadership to our community. Families and businesses are being squeezed by rising costs, and it’s time to act. I will fight to lower taxes, reduce unnecessary regulations, and make insurance more affordable so people can stay and thrive here. We need to address the fundamentals: cleaner water through responsible Everglades restoration, better roads to keep up with growth, and streamlined permitting to cut delays and reduce housing costs. Government should work efficiently and responsibly, not stand in the way. I am running to keep our communities safe and ensuring law enforcement has the resources to do their jobs, Finally, I am running to protect the innocent, the unborn child as well as finding solutions to reduce the excessive costs for elder care that is undermining the dignity of our senior population.

— What are the biggest challenges facing this district, and what can you realistically do about them if elected? The district’s biggest challenges are managing rapid growth, protecting water quality, improving transportation, and lowering insurance costs. Growth puts pressure on roads, infrastructure, housing, and public services, while septic pollution threatens clean water. We can protect clean water by modernizing infrastructure, reducing septic pollution, and making sure every new project comes with the roads and utilities it requires. As a State Representative, my responsibility will be to find funding to assist with our infrastructure needs and help create a competitive atmosphere for our insurance industry so we can attract more insurance carriers to the State of Florida. The increased competition should drive down insurance premiums. Additionally, continuing incentive programs for hardening homes like “My Safe Florida Home” will result in less damage to structures and lower premiums.

— What is one bill you would like to file next Session? One bill I plan to file will be on HOA transparency. It will be similar to the Condominium bill passed several years ago. Homeowners and their agents should be able to readily see information that HOA Association management companies are required by law to produce. I believe transparency will make bidding of services more competitive and allow homeowners a better say in the governance of their associations.

— The cost of groceries, gas, housing and utilities is top of mind for voters right now. What specific policies do you propose to make life more affordable for constituents? Affordability is probably at the top of most constituents’ thoughts. As a State Representative I can fight to reduce taxes and regulations, both of which will bring down costs. Streamlining the permitting process will bring down housing costs. I would continue to support Hometown Heroes program which assists our essential workers and first responders with purchasing homes in neighborhoods they serve. I can also work to create a more competitive insurance market which will result in lower premiums barring there are no natural disasters. We can continue tax holidays on back to school and for emergency preparation products.

— How can Florida better protect family farms and shore up our domestic food supply? For many Florida families, farms are more than land — they are part of our heritage, our food supply, and the open spaces that define our way of life. But development pressure is making it harder for farmers to hold on to the land they have worked for generations. We should stand with them by providing meaningful incentives to keep farmland in agriculture instead of forcing families to sell to developers. Florida’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, funded with $425 million this year, is an important investment in that future. It protects working farms, preserves the Florida Wildlife Corridor, safeguards land that replenishes our water supply, and supports critical wildlife habitat. We should continue this funding and expand tax incentives so farmers can keep producing, families can stay on their land, and voters can count on a Florida that protects its rural character, natural resources, and future generations.

— A majority of Floridians backed Amendments 3 and 4 in 2024, though neither reached 60% support. Should Florida loosen restrictions on abortion or legalize recreational marijuana? I am opposed to loosening the required 60% to pass a Constitutional Amendment, especially on issues like legalizing recreational marijuana which could be passed by the Florida Legislature with a simple majority vote and Governor’s signature. It should be hard to change the Constitution so only the really important changes pass and become part of it. Our Constitution should not be used to pass the flavor of the day. We do not need “Pregnant Pigs” as part of our state constitution, but with a lessor 50 percent passage requirement, it was voted on and passed, and I now sits in our Constitution. Florida should be better than that. We should be the example for the rest of the Country.

— Many counties have recently enacted data center bans and moratoriums, but our use of AI tools continues to grow. Is there a place for data centers anywhere in Florida, or should other states host the infrastructure that powers AI? My position on AI data centers is clear: I do not oppose them as long as their electrical use does not raise rates to other customers, that there is an adequate water supply and no harm to our local water resources, and they are located in appropriate areas, such as commercial or industrial zones, as determined by local governments. I believe AI and its data centers are part of our national interest and security. America needs to lead in AI and not taken second place to China. Local governments can require architectural and building standards to make their large structures more appealing and blend into other commercial or industrial structures.

— Will you vote in favor of Amendment 3 in November? If it passes, what (if anything) should the Legislature do to help small counties and municipalities reeling from the loss of ad valorem revenue? I am for lower taxes but have deep concerns about Amendment 3. As an amendment to the Constitution, it provides no flexibility to the legislature or local municipalities. Some counties like Collier County with lower millage rates and large numbers of non-homestead properties can weather this change should Amendment 3 pass with 60%, but smaller counties like Hendry with high existing millage rates, lower property valuations, and fewer non-homestead properties, will face very tough choices. They can raise the millage rate to cover lost revenues or cut services to their constituents. Additionally, a few rural counties in Northern Florida will be decimated if it passes. Their property values are very low, and they do not have a significant number of non-homestead properties that can cover the lost revenue. I believe they would be required to merge with other counties to survive or offer no services to their constituents. The same may be true for our local fire districts, mosquito control, and other service districts with maximum caps of 10 mils.

Should the Amendment pass, I suggest the Legislature immediate vote at the beginning of session to allow Counties to be able to hold special elections to increase the local option sales tax should counties choose to do so. Said elections could be held within 90 days of the Governor signing the sales tax election legislation and could be beneficial to counties preparing their 2027-28 fiscal budgets. The state could assist in some of the costs associated with these special elections. I will look at this special election for a sales tax increase and at other options as long as counties are required to justify their expenses during their budget process. They need to be looking to cut waste to garner my support.

— Is the GOP majority in the Legislature focused on the right priorities? Is there anything you disagree with your party on? I believe the Republican majority is focused on the right priorities: more individual freedom, smaller government, lower taxes, and a better quality of life for Florida families. At the same time, I would like to see leadership rely less on special sessions. They are expensive, create unnecessary pressure, and do not always produce the best results.

This year is a good example. Extending session for additional weeks in an election year can rush the process, limit thorough debate, and make it harder to craft thoughtful, effective legislation. We already have a regular 8-week session, and the Legislature has one constitutional duty that must be completed: passing a balanced budget. Special sessions should be rare, not routine, and used only when truly necessary.

— Anything else you want voters to know about you? I have wanted to serve in the legislative process for many years, and I have spent that time preparing myself to understand a wide range of important issues. Through my work on the Florida Realtors Public Policy Committee, I have been involved in housing and property insurance policy. I also spent 10 years advocating for the elimination of the business rent tax, and in 2025, that tax was finally repealed.

I have led local efforts on constitutional amendments related to homestead portability and increases to the homestead exemption. As a commercial realtor, I understand the permitting and site approval hurdles builders face and how those delays drive up costs for consumers.

I am ready to do the job, and my only allegiance will be to my constituents. If you want lower taxes, less regulation, a pro-life voice, more civility in government, and common-sense leadership as your next State Representative, I’m your candidate.