Meet candidate Greg Folley: For Florida Representative District 81.
Greg Folley is a council member for the city of Marco Island. In November 2022, he was elected to a full four-year term after being initially appointed to the council. In 2023, he was chairman.
Folley has been active on social media, sharing videos on subjects such as property insurance, opposing anti-Hamas graffiti, endorsing the former president Donald Trump, celebrating the Fourth of July, and Florida’s abortion-related Amendment 4, which is up for vote on November 5.
Folley, an attorney and former Caterpillar executive, resides on Marco Island. Folley was medically discharged from the U.S. Naval Academy after attending.
Folley is a married man with nine children, two stepchildren, and eleven grandchildren. State Representative Spencer Roach, who represents House District 76 in the Florida Legislature, which covers DeSoto and portions of Charlotte and Lee counties, endorsed him, he said on July 22.
District 81
District 81 map for the Florida House of Representatives, encompasses Goodland and the Isles of Capri as well as the area south of Marco Island, stretching from Naples Park east of the Golden Gate. County Road 951 and Collier Boulevard encircle it on the east.
Folley is competing against who?
There are three candidates running for the Florida House District 81 representative seat: two Republicans and one Democrat. This is a significant departure from 2022, when Republican Bob Rommel was the incumbent and faced no opposition. Rommel has termed out after eight years in the post and is running for state Senate District 28.
Folley will take on Yvette Benarroch in the primary on August 20. Benarroch and Folley both reside on Marco Island.
The only Democrat to file and be eligible for District 81 is Robert Charles Work. Work, a retired lawyer who currently resides in Naples, is acting as his own treasurer for the campaign, per his campaign filings. Work is to compete against the Republican nominee on November 5.
What makes you want to represent District 81 as the next state representative?
I’m running for this position to fight for the preservation of the liberties that God has given us and to serve my town, state, and nation. Three steps comprise, in my opinion, a well-lived life: learning, earning, and returning. I had an excellent education and a very fulfilling profession. Now is the right time for me to make a comeback and use my abilities to help my state and the nation I adore.
What sets you apart from your rivals?
My opponent discusses her plans of action. I am able to demonstrate my work. After retirement, I served on Marco Island’s City Council for four years. During that time, I oversaw enormous cost savings for the City—roughly 40% of the yearly budget on an NPV basis—by reorganizing expensive pension plans while preserving benefits that are above the market for our police and firefighters. In addition, I have helped taxpayers by cutting taxes by 27% while in office, keeping the government in check while still attending to community needs. In order to guard against federal government overreach, we have also safeguarded our freedoms by passing the Healthcare Bill of Rights and designating Marco Island as a Constitutionally Protected Freedom Zone. Since she has never held public office, my opponent has never accomplished anything comparable.
What professional or life experiences make you the most qualified applicant?
After working as a staff member in the Reagan White House, I went on to practice labor and employment law until Caterpillar Inc., one of my biggest clients, recruited me. I had many positions there, including chief labor negotiator, HR director for the UK, chief innovation officer, chief human resources officer, and president of Caterpillar Reman and Caterpillar Logistics. In my last position, I effectively oversaw a company with over $10 billion in annual revenue, 10,000 workers, and 72 locations throughout 18 states, 18 countries, and six continents. For the first time, I worked at several jobs, was put in charge of individuals with little to no experience, and consistently produced excellent outcomes. There is nothing that my opponent has accomplished or experienced that comes close to this.
What problems do you think District 81 is most likely to face, and how would you solve them?
1. Managing growth; 2. Keeping inflation under control, especially with regard to insurance and house ownership costs. prices associated with house ownership can be reduced by extending the homestead exemption, and insurance prices can be managed by maintaining the legal changes enacted in 2023, growing the My Safe FL house Program, and doing away with taxes associated with property and flood insurance premiums. The most crucial growth management concern is making sure that our infrastructure can support our burgeoning population. To this end, we should build on the governor’s Moving FL Forward initiative, which has advanced significant projects by at least ten years.
What are your top priorities, if elected to District 81?
1. Keeping FL free and safe, by minimizing taxes and burdensome regulations, and by providing strong support and competitive pay for law enforcement. 2. Fighting inflation, as discussed above, and 3. Managing growth, as discussed above and by working effectively with the next administration to deport all those who are in this country illegally.
Florida insurance rates continue to rise. In your opinion, what course of action ought the state to take?
Upon inquiring about the goals of the incoming Speaker Perez, he responded with “property insurance, property insurance, and property insurance.” I also think this is really important. While there isn’t a magic bullet, building on the reforms from the previous two sessions can help. Nine new insurance companies have entered the Florida market, lawsuits against insurance companies have significantly decreased, and insurance rates have finally stabilized this year, with ten insurers proposing rate reductions so far and many others holding rates steady. We also need to make sure that businesses operating in our state have access to reinsurance, and that the My Safe FL Home Program is supported and grows further.
Abortion will be on the Florida ballot this year with Amendment 4, which would protect women’s right to abortion in Florida. What is your stance on abortion?
I’m pro-life, but I think that one point upon which both pro-life and pro-choice advocates can agree is that something as complex as the issue of abortion should not be a part of our Constitution. This is an issue for the Legislature where we can debate policy details without a one-size-fits-all plank in our Constitution. This amendment may have far-reaching and draconian implications for healthcare policy and will make our state one of the most radical pro-abortion constituencies in the world. It should be rejected by the voters.
For Florida, the environment is yet another major concern. What steps should the state take to ensure clean water and solve other issues?
When the Picayune Strand pumping station to replenish the Everglades and the major reservoirs surrounding Lake Okeechobee are completed, they will significantly reduce nutrient runoff to the southern part of the state and the Gulf. As such, I will work to support and expand the projects of the SW Florida Water Management District. In order to lessen the harmful effects of those older systems, I will also support initiatives to convert septic systems to sewer systems when needed.
What are your thoughts on Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoing every award intended for Florida’s arts and culture in the state budget for 2024–25?
The question of whether taxpayer money should go toward supporting the arts or if private foundations and individuals should handle this funding has to be discussed more seriously. It is difficult to argue that state money for the arts should take precedence over other priorities when we have important decisions to make about public safety, transportation, and the Everglades. I value Governor DeSantis’ dedication to budgetary restraint and his leadership in laying the groundwork for a future discussion on how to best safeguard taxpayers.
How would you regulate marijuana and what is your position on its legalization for recreational use in Florida?
Legalizing marijuana for recreational use is something I oppose. This proposal will negatively affect Florida’s tourism industry, as it has already proven disastrous in other states like California and Colorado. In addition, this is another matter that is better left for discussion on the Legislature’s floor, where we may intelligently argue the opposing viewpoints, rather than being codified into our Constitution.Older systems.
The original article can be found in Naples Daily News