People speak out about Florida's declining brand--The Futurist, David Houle, Guest columnist

The response to last week’s column – “Politics is changing Florida’s Brand” – was overwhelming.

The average number of emails I get per column is usually 1-5. Last week’s column triggered 87 emails, all positive except for three that took issue with some part of the column. Thank you!

You read my words all the time. Here are quotes from some of the emails I received. They have all given permission to be quoted, but I have kept them anonymous to prevent possible harassment.

From an 86-year-old grandmother: “I was a public school teacher for 36 years in a Chicago suburb. My husband, an Italian immigrant, was a welder, metal worker, and artist. I tell you this so that you can understand that we lived a modest life, saved our money, raised two sons, one of which is a doctor and the other a CPA.

Our parental responsibilities being over and both of us retired, we sold our home and headed south once again. We put our money on a lovely home suited to our needs. Financially we are doing fine with our pensions and Social Security.

But what the people are allowing to happen to Sarasota is a sin, and I am devastated. I watch what these so-called Christians are doing to the schools and now our hospital, and I know that they will never be satisfied until they destroy all that I believe in and value.

There was a lot of reflection from many about staying in Florida, or leaving.

A 61-year-old disabled vet wrote: I currently live in Jacksonville and will be leaving this state for good once my lease is up.

A senior non-profit executive: I wanted to share with you that the topic of your column this morning has ironically been the most discussed topic everywhere I have been the past few months. In fact, I have been fuming about it for a year – and it is getting so bad that I am looking for jobs out of this state! I am a multi-generation Floridian (one great aunt says seven and another says nine) and I can tell you firsthand having grown up here and lived in communities all around the state that Florida is not heading in a great direction. I have been worried about this myself for months and had many conversations with other long-time Floridians - and many are indeed actively thinking of leaving. I was at a super bowl party with all couples who were snowbirds with multimillion dollar second homes here and they were all aghast at how Florida is turning out to be a state of hate. Several were saying they have friends who have crossed Florida off their list for that reason and are going to other states now for second homes.

As evidence of Florida turning into a toxic brand, a grandmother whose grandchildren refuse to visit her because of the governor’s anti-LGBTQ and book-banning campaigns: Our grandchildren refused to come down this year because of what the Governor said about gays, and the banning of books. All their high school friends feel the same. Will we have to move somewhere else?

A former Sarasota resident wrote: I could not agree more with your article on ‘Politics is changing Florida’s brand’. If space permitted, there could have been many more additions to the list and an entire sub-category for Sarasota. After 8 wonderful years in Sarasota, we recognized the changes, sold our house and moved to Georgia. The charm of Sarasota is being destroyed right before our eyes.

A senior executive wrote: In the last month, I’ve heard from dozens of longtime residents who are friends who are seriously looking in other locations to move. Some are wealthy retirees, and some are working professionals in the prime of their careers who once longed to stay here and call it home – can’t take this oppressive hate anymore. My friends who are women, black, LGBTQ and even, thankfully, many white males, are disgusted by the focus of elected officials who seem to have forgotten that they are elected to represent EVERYONE, not only the minority of white males demonstrating narrowminded, bigoted, racist and misogynistic behaviors.

A Sarasota resident wrote: I agree completely. So does my wife. In fact, we’re examples of a second downside for the bizarre political missteps you cite: We’ve begun to consider leaving Florida to escape the culture-war insanities.

This, from a 1985 Ringling College alum, was a common refrain: Friends from other states and countries ask me “What the hell is going on in Florida?” The once beaches, palm trees and Key West lifestyle of Jimmy Buffet has been replaced by the state of political book-banning, Statue of David porn-comparison, New College destruction.

A single Mom wrote: I moved to Sarasota with my family in 2021, after being a long time visited and lover of the state. We moved to Florida because we love it, and also to be closer to family. How can we help the environment, both the natural and political environment? It makes me sad that the place I love is being so changed by idiotic political movements.

Two Longboat Key retirees – and a few dozen others – wrote about development and the loss of freedoms: Without qualms or hesitation, completely concur with your views today in the H-T. We have been saying for several years that Sarasota’s charm is being tarnished by Commissioners tending to allow massive overdevelopment. With colossal buildings blocking out the sun and built almost right to the street, one might be walking in NYC or Hong Kong.

And even more distressing is that our local and state governments do think this is Hong Kong, where they can restrict freedoms, discriminate against women and minorities, ban books, what can be discussed, and turn history upside down.

The subject of state government intervention in education and the rudeness in the ‘town square’ were common, like from this retiree: My husband and I moved to Sarasota in 2011 full time and what is happening here and in the state of Florida is something I am having a hard time coming to grips with. Sarasota was, at that time, very friendly and inclusive. Your article nails it… and although the traffic and overdevelopment are disturbing what is happening in education is nothing short of shocking. The attacks on Mr. Edwards at the school board meetings are incomprehensible. Even my sister, who lives in Victoria, British Columbia is asking… “what the heck is going on in Florida!!”

A resident of Venice who has been coming here for 50 years: Your comments on politics and development are on the mark. Much of the country must believe Florida has become a fascist state. And as the culture war is being waged our legislators are ignoring urgent needs – affordable housing, traffic congestion and property insurance reform. We’ve just been dropped by our insurance carrier for the second time in two years.

Here’s a question for you - how is it that in Florida developers are allowed to sit on planning boards? That’s nuts!

A former resident of Sarasota wrote: I just read your article and couldn’t agree more. I have spent the last 6 years living in Sarasota having relocated from Germany with my husband for his job. We have now returned to Germany again.

I come from the UK and so I regularly speak with family and friends there too. I have regular conversations with people who ask me what has happened to Florida, what does don’t say gay mean, what does “woke comes to die in Florida” mean, and why books are being banned.

It has also become a very unattractive place for young people to live. Not only do they have difficulty finding apartments and affording rent, without inheritance they can’t buy. Several young engineers that my husband worked with left the state as they were not prepared to pay the excess prices for substandard properties that they could afford.

The politics was also off-putting, not forward thinking but short-term and self-serving in its focus.

From a former Florida tourist: Our family has enjoyed vacationing in Florida for many years, but have picked other destinations for the
last two years, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Come back from the edge, folks, we miss you.

Married snowbirds who have decided not to buy here: This is our 12th year as snowbirds to the Englewood/Rotonda West area. People often ask us why we just don’t buy a home here. I could never live here due to the politics and the past few years have been particularly frightening.

These are just a small selection of the comments that I wish I could share with you. There was deep despair, concern, anger and sadness. There was embarrassment and bewilderment. People are experiencing what I wrote about in the last column, that many of us are being asked by friends who live elsewhere “What is going on in Florida?” Brand Florida is being tarnished all over the world.

One final point is that the majority of emails wondered what could be done to save the state, save the brand and lessen the hate. I don’t know the answer.

I worry that by the time tourism revenues do start to fall, too much damage will have been done to the state by the politicians who care more about power, money, and personal ambition than representing all the people, Florida’s declining natural beauty, or the quality of education.

What do you think? Sarasota resident David Houle is a globally recognized futurist. He has given speeches on six continents, written 13 books and is futurist in residence at Ringling College of Art and Design. His websites are davidhoule.com and the2020sdecade.com. Email him at david@davidhoule.com.