On the Issues
Reproductive Rights
No woman wants to have an abortion. When someone finds themself in a crisis where an abortion may be necessary, it is a private medical decision between that patient and her medical doctor. Jen will oppose government interference in this matter.
Insurance
We in Florida are up to our roof lines in storm surge, canceled insurance policies, and higher homeowners’ rates.
Jen is a self-proclaimed “Insurance Nerd” who has spent her entire career helping business owners with their risk and insurance management. Insurance is one of the most regulated industries in Florida which means that the Florida Legislature has as much to do with the success or failure of the industry as anyone.
After 2 special sessions dedicated to insurance (December 2021 and May 2022) and the 2022 legislative session our state lost several homeowners insurance carriers who went into receivership. This means the amount of premiums they collected from their policyholders was less than the anticipated claims they would be paying out, putting them out of business. This was prior to Ian which has many who closely follow the industry anxious about what will surface in the coming weeks.
If the insurance industry collapses it would mean a screeching halt to the residential housing industry for both buyers and sellers, affecting mortgage lenders and realtors. Mortgage lenders require insurance coverage over the asset they are lending on and a qualified insurance carrier who they believe will be able to rebuild the structure if damaged or destroyed.
Jen will be the champion of insurance reform when elected.
Affordable Housing
As home prices and rent costs skyrocket, it is challenging or nearly impossible for working families to find affordable housing. Small business owners, teachers, first responders, and those in the service industry, make our community strong and should not be priced out of the housing market. Jen will fight any attempts to raid the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund and will work to expand options for affordable and workforce housing through public-private partnerships and better collaboration between Tallahassee and local governments.
Education
A product of the public school system Jen understands the value of a great education and believes that high quality public education should be available to every student. Jen work in the legislature to ensure the state properly invests in our public schools to ensure they provide a quality education for our children and pay teachers competitive wages.
Small Business Support
As the chair of the Business Advisory Committee at Hillsborough Community College Jen has invested years working to help develop and launch strong entrepreneurs in our community. Jen teaches Insurance 101 for Business Owners and Entrepreneurs each semester as a guest lecturer in the Entrepreneurship program. She also serves on the Early Entrepreneur Venture Funding Committee which gives micro loans and grants to businesses that have come through the HCC programs. The training and funding are having a direct impact on our community through the launching of success businesses who are hiring staff and growing the economy in our community.
Jen has been a proud member of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce where she has served on the board from 2017 to 2020. In this capacity she has supported business development for many local businesses over the years and will continue to do so.
Environment
Beautiful beaches, clean waterways, hiking trails, attract visitors and residents alike. Jen will work to protect the natural amenities that we all love so much in Florida. Clean drinking water is a critical resource that we need to protect for future generations. Did you know that the insurance industry are active environmentalists. Sea level rise, commercial spills, warmer waters that fuel larger and more powerful storms are all concerns for our industry. We develop risk management programs to lessen potential for accidents that are damaging to our environment. We have policies that are to remediate accidents when they happen, cleaning up our environment. We study the negative impacts of climate change on the assets of our community because when the flooding or big wind event occurs, we are the industry that comes in behind the storm to help rebuild and recover the community.
Transportation
The growing population in Hillsborough County has increased the already challenging traffic situation. Transportation options start with how the city or county greet you at the end of your property. Currently we are greeted with congested, overused and under maintained roads. In a place as densely populated as Hillsborough County, a robust transportation system begins with sidewalks so our children can walk to school, the playground, or their best friend’s house safely. As your representative in Tallahassee, she will ensure that we invest smartly in infrastructure, with a priority on safety.
Healthcare
Healthcare is a fundamental human right and will fight for affordable healthcare for every family in District 60. People should not be forced to choose between paying for healthcare or their utility bills each month. To help working families across Florida Jen will fight to expand access to Medicaid which will give nearly 800,000 Floridians access to healthcare and provide thousands of high paying healthcare jobs.
Workforce Training
Jen’s father is a Union plumber who has had a long a successful career because of workplace safety training and jobsite training that kept him safe throughout the years. Her father started out as an apprentice when Jen was just a child and his paid apprenticeship made sure that their family had a place to live, food on the table, and good health benefits. Jen will fight for working families when elected.
