Florida Banking April 2023

Q&A with Senate President Kathleen Passidomo

Q: What are some of the life guiding principles that you live by? My faith and my family have always been the foundation of my life. I was raised in a traditional Italian/Irish Catholic home with many siblings. My parents met on a blind date when my dad returned from World War II, and they were together for almost 75 years. My mom, who is my namesake, passed away in 2020, but I inherited her love of cooking and community. My dad turned 100 on New Year’s Day. I spend almost every Sunday with him watching golf, reading and talking. My husband, John, and I have been married for over 40 years and have raised three daughters in Naples. We have two grandchildren, William and Emilio, who are the loves of our lives. When the girls were growing up, I always tried to foster a home environment similar to the home I grew up in, with a lot of food, friendship, and always an extra place setting at the table. The work we do in Tallahassee is so significant, but there is nothing more important than family! Q: What inspired your desire to serve as Senate President? My husband first encouraged me to run for office. We are both attorneys, and I have always done a lot of legal work in the area of Real Property Probate and Trust Law. He saw my frustration over the years with some of our state laws, and convinced me that if I ran for office, maybe I could rewrite some of them, which I did! Being trusted by my colleagues to serve as Senate President is the professional honor of a lifetime. I enjoy the chance to work with each Senator and learn about the issues that are important to their constituents. I must say, I do really miss sitting on committees, and I still try to read – and sometimes try to rewrite – every bill. After 40 years practicing law, that’s a habit I cannot seem to break! Q: How do you see Florida’s current economic and financial outlook? Florida’s economy is in great shape. In December, Florida's unemployment rate dropped to 2.6 percent, the lowest among the nation’s Top 10 largest states and a full point below the national average. In November, we marked

two consecutive years (24 straight months) that Florida’s unemployment rate has remained below the national rate. We also continued to exceed the national job growth rate for the 20th consecutive month in November 2022. While Florida’s economy is booming, the pain of inflation due to the disastrous economic policies on the national level is very real for many Florida families. That is not just my view, it is the opinion shared by millions of Floridians across this state who sent a strong, clear message at the ballot box last November. Our nation’s inflation rate is the highest in 40 years. Grocery bills are through the roof. Gasoline is also back on the rise. What that means is the average Floridian is having to make difficult choices. Do I use my last $20 this pay period to fill up my tank or to buy my family dinner? Forget new shoes or jackets for the kids. Unfortunately, Florida cannot independently fix or outrun all of the problems created by the federal government, wreaking havoc on families and our most vulnerable; however, I believe there are things we can do to support Florida families through the financial distress brought on by Washington. By cutting more taxes, easing regulations and limiting bureaucracy, we are going to make sure Floridians get to keep more of their hard-earned money. Also, Florida closed out the year with historic reserves, leaving us in a great place to address future challenges. Q: How do you expect the legislature to help spur economic activity and job growth in Florida under your leadership? Safe, attainable, workforce housing. When I moved to Naples almost 43 years ago, the community was talking about the lack of housing for our workers. It was a problem then, and remains a persistent problem today in many areas of our state. When I talk with Florida businesses of all sizes, they consistently raise the challenge of finding suitable housing options for their employees. If our workers lack an affordable, convenient place to live and raise their families, we will not be able to recruit and retain the workforce we need in the Sunshine State. Legislative Leaders, Continued on page 10

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