- April 19, 2024
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Name: Will Robinson
Age: 44
Family: My grandfather and his family moved to Bradenton in 1948 from Pikeville, Ky.; my father was born one year later. I was born in Bradenton, along with my two brothers.
Bio: I attended Manatee High School, where I served as student body class president. I graduated from of the University of Notre Dame and went to law school at the Stetson University College of Law. I am a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church. I am a partner of the Blalock Walters law firm, where I focus on real estate law and am board certified by the Florida Bar in Real Estate Law. I was appointed by both Gov. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis to be a commissioner for the 12th Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission. I was the past chair of both Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee and the Bradenton Downtown Development Authority. I am a graduate of Leadership Florida Class XXIX. I have deep family roots in Southwest Florida. My grandfather and uncle founded Robby’s Sporting Goods. My family donated much of the land now known as the public park Robinson Preserve, located in Bradenton. I was honored in 2018 by Leadership Manatee with the Kent C. Schultz Distinguished Leadership Award, in 2014 by the Business Observer 40 Under 40 and 2015 People to Watch by Biz(941). In my spare time, I am an avid runner. I have completed two Boston Marathons and two Ironman races.
Why are you running for office?
I am running to keep our recovery moving forward after this terrible pandemic and to represent in the very best way the citizens of the community where I was born and raised. I have lived in Bradenton my entire life and have been blessed to be involved in the most important issues that our area has faced. To represent a community, you need to understand your community. I love our area and want to see us succeed in Tallahassee.
What are three priorities you hope to accomplish if elected?
With Florida revenues expected to finish the year at $1.6 billion below expectations:
What budget cuts would you propose?
The governor vetoed several member appropriation projects last session. (I personally had several vetoed.) I would start there. Member appropriation projects are important to fill local gaps in funding, but those projects and funding should be the first way to lower spending in a tough budget year. Frankly, all budget areas will probably need to sustain cuts. Families have to spend within their means; it is vital that government do the same.
What would be your position on raising taxes to close any gap?
Increasing taxes should never be the answer to “close any gap.” Government can always do better and be more efficient.
What’s your position on calls for the state to expand its Medicaid spending?
Against. Over the past two years that I have been a member of the Florida House of Representatives, we have led the state [and the nation] in removing unnecessary barriers for our citizens to get higher quality and more inexpensive health care. We have also focused on lowering the cost of prescription drugs. It is my position that we should always look to expand a consumer’s health care options and not just grow a government program.
How would you rate Florida’s public education funding: too little, just right, too much? What would you change?
I was proud to vote for the historic teacher pay increase last legislative session. We need to continue to invest in our public education system, along with expanding opportunities for families and students that seek options other than the traditional public system. We have done great work in the Florida legislature over the past several years. When I attended high school at Manatee High School back in the 1990s, you had to go to school in zone you lived in. This seemed unfair to me at the time. Your ZIP code should not determine your education fate. I remain concerned about the increased cost of a higher education degree in Florida. (Tuition might have remained fairly constant, but the cost to the state has dramatically increased.) This is unsustainable; we must continue to find ways to lower the cost.
Gov. Ron DeSantis made the environment a top priority when elected, committing to spend/invest $2.5 billion during his term to help clean up and protect Florida’s water systems. How would you describe your position toward this spending?
A critical investment and a top priority of mine. I was proud to serve on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee in the Florida House, where we passed significant legislation that our great governor signed. This legislation put our environment in the best place it has been in years. Water quality is so very important to our area. We need to continue to make major investments at the state level to supplement what our local governments should be doing as well. Water quality and preservation of our natural resources are important issues to me, and I am proud of my family’s legacy of preservation and conservation with the Robinson Preserve in Manatee County.
Visit Florida’s budget went from $76 million to $50 million in the last legislative session. Given the pandemic and its effects on Florida tourism, what would you propose in the next session?
Visit Florida had had problems in the past with wasteful spending. We need to continue to closely monitor their spending and continue to require full accountability to ensure they are spending effectively their money that comes from the taxpayers. Full transparency is very important.
The November ballot will have an amendment to require a $15 minimum wage by 2026, increasing by inflation every year after. What’s your position on the minimum wage?
Against. Increasing wages is very important, but this wrong way to do it and the wrong time for a forced government wage increase during a global pandemic.
For the past three years, the issue of who should regulate short-term residential rentals has come before the Legislature. What’s your position: Should the state or local governments regulate them? Why?
My preference is to have the bodies closest to the people regulate this area (like the cities and counties), which is why I voted against the vacation rental preemption bill last session. However, some local governments are passing draconian ordinances that do not allow someone to rent a room in their own home or reasonably rent their house. I am against that. We have private property rights in our Constitution. There must be a fair balance in this area.
State funding for the arts increased from $2.6 million two years ago to $21.2 million in the most recent session. Arts groups requested $62 million. What’s your position on state taxpayers funding the arts? And if you support it, how much should they get?
This would not be a top priority of mine in a tough budget year in 2021. Our focus should be on education, the environment and infrastructure projects that are so important to our area.
Florida’s unemployment insurance compensation system was roundly criticized during the pandemic. It pays one of the lowest amounts in the nation — a maximum of $275 per week for 12 weeks. Should that be changed, and if so, to what? Why?
It is fair to criticize Florida’s unemployment compensation system. It has been a mess. Our first priority should be to fix the system and allow people to get the benefits they deserve without the bureaucratic entanglements that have left many frustrated. Ever since the Florida legislative session ended in March, my legislative staff and I have been totally focused in assisting Floridians with their benefits claim. We have assisted and got approved hundreds of claims from over 20 counties. We need to fix this system and do better. I agree with the governor’s call for Florida’s chief inspector general to find out why this company was selected and what they did wrong with the computer software, which led to the massive problems. Our focus should be on fixing the current system [or replacing it] and getting people back to work rather than expanding the time period or benefit amount.
