Government

Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis issued the following statement on organization session.

“I’m thrilled to start my second session as your CFO and look forward to working with the 2019 legislature to help build a better, stronger Florida. In just one year, we secured PTSD benefits for our first responders, helped make it easier for Floridians to protect themselves from fraud, and worked to make Florida a leader on issues impacting our finances and economy. We aren’t stopping there. The work we’ve done and our commitment to fiscal responsibility has earned Florida a AAA credit rating from all three credit reporting agencies for the first time.

“We must continue this progress, but there are key issues we can’t go another year without addressing. Cancer rates among our firefighters are alarming. Assignment of Benefits fraud has taken hold of our property insurance market causing rates to rise. Hurricane Michael insured losses grow every day. I look forward to tackling these, and many other, issues facing our state, no matter who supports our work or actively works against us. Challenges will not deter our goal of protecting your money, our first responders, and our state’s economy.”