Education
Juris Doctorate from Law School, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Realtor-Broker License Florida
Hometown
Florida, Palm Beach, Miami, Broward
County
Broward County
Instagram
merylopezpalma
LinkedIn
merylopezpalma
Campaign Phone
954-510-5122
The two greatest challenges facing Florida are the rising cost of living and protecting the safety and quality of life in our communities. Families continue to struggle with increasing property insurance premiums, property taxes, and housing costs, while businesses face rising expenses that are ultimately passed on to consumers. At the same time, Florida must continue investing in public safety, infrastructure, and strong schools to keep pace with our state’s growth.
During my first six months in office, I will work to advance legislation that reduces the financial burden on homeowners and small businesses by addressing insurance costs, lowering taxes where possible, and cutting unnecessary government regulations. I will also support investments in public safety, police, firefighters & first responders. I will support transportation needs, workforce development, and education to ensure Florida remains a safe, affordable, and prosperous place to live, work, and raise a family.
I support ensuring that only U.S. citizens vote in our elections while also making the process accessible for every eligible voter. If documentary proof of citizenship is required, Florida should provide affordable and efficient access to certified birth, marriage, and naturalization records, including fee waivers or reduced-cost documents for those in financial need. I would also support streamlined government processes so that name changes due to marriage or other life events do not prevent eligible citizens from exercising their right to vote.
Florida must increase the supply of housing by streamlining permitting, reducing unnecessary regulations, and encouraging responsible development where infrastructure can support growth. I also support expanding workforce and attainable housing options, promoting public-private partnerships, and reducing barriers that delay construction. These measures can help increase housing availability while preserving the character and quality of our communities.
I am pro-life and believe every human life is precious. I support protecting unborn children while ensuring that women receive necessary medical care. I support exceptions for the life of the mother and in circumstances provided under Florida law.
Florida should maintain a balanced partnership between state and local government. The state should establish consistent standards on issues of statewide importance, while local governments should retain the flexibility to address the unique needs of their communities. I support limiting unnecessary mandates from either level of government and encouraging collaboration, accountability, and local innovation while protecting taxpayers and constitutional rights.
Florida should focus on expanding access to affordable, quality care while protecting taxpayers. I support increasing the number of healthcare providers through workforce development, reducing unnecessary barriers to care, improving price transparency, and supporting community-based clinics and preventive care. The state must also review Medicaid spending carefully to ensure resources are used efficiently for the most vulnerable Floridians while encouraging private-sector solutions that lower costs for families.
Property insurance costs are one of the greatest financial challenges facing Florida homeowners, and I understand why many voters rank them as their top concern. At the same time, property taxes also continue to strain family budgets. We should address both by increasing competition in the insurance market, reducing fraud and unnecessary costs, and pursuing responsible tax relief. Florida families deserve to be able to afford both their homes and the cost of protecting them. Homeownership is the American Dream, and we must ensure it remains within the reach for future generations while protecting the families who are struggling today. I will work to reduce these financial burdens, so that more families can achieve-and keep-the American Dream. Thank you for allowing me the honor to participate in this questionnaire.
Age
45
Education
Masters in Emergency/Disaster Management
Hometown
Cooper City
County
Broward
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/jasonpaulsmith_houserep102?igsh=ZDhvNG14cDB3MjZs&utm_source=qr
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/commissionerjasonsmith?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
Campaign Phone
754-212-7162
The two most important challenges facing Florida today are affordability and public safety preparedness. These issues affect families in every community, including those here in Broward County, and they require practical solutions that focus on results rather than politics. If elected, one of my top priorities during my first six months in office will be working to strengthen Florida’s property insurance market by supporting policies that increase competition, improve transparency, and ensure accountability for reforms already enacted by the Legislature. Homeowners deserve confidence that changes made in Tallahassee are producing real savings and long-term stability. I will support investments in critical infrastructure projects that improve transportation, strengthen drainage systems, protect water resources, and enhance storm resilience. Florida’s population continues to grow, and our infrastructure must keep pace with that growth while preparing
If documentary proof of U.S. citizenship becomes a requirement for voter registration, Florida has a responsibility to ensure that eligible citizens are not prevented from exercising their constitutional right to vote because of cost, bureaucracy, or lack of access to records.
Election integrity and voter accessibility are not competing goals. We can and should accomplish both.
If elected, I would support efforts to make citizenship verification as simple, affordable, and efficient as possible. This includes improving coordination between state agencies so existing government records can be used whenever available, reducing the burden on citizens to locate and submit documents that the government may already possess. As a firefighter and public servant, I believe government should work for the people it serves. The state must ensure the process protects election integrity while remaining fair, accessible, and practical for every eligible voter.
Affordable housing is one of the most significant challenges facing Florida today. When teachers, first responders, healthcare workers, service employees, and young families cannot afford to live in the communities they serve, it affects not only quality of life but also economic growth, workforce stability, and public safety. I support continued investment in workforce and attainable housing initiatives that help working Floridians achieve homeownership and maintain stable housing. I also believe in reviewing state regulations to identify unnecessary barriers that increase construction costs, delay projects, or limit housing opportunities. For renters, I support policies that encourage increased housing inventory and expanded housing choices. The most sustainable way to improve affordability is to increase supply and create a competitive housing market that provides options for families at different income levels.
I am proudly pro-life and believe that every human life is a gift from God and deserves protection from conception until natural death.
As a firefighter and paramedic, I have dedicated my career to protecting life during its most vulnerable moments. That experience has reinforced my belief that every life has inherent value and dignity.
I support Florida’s efforts to protect unborn children and promote a culture that values life. I believe public policy should not only protect the unborn but also provide meaningful support for mothers, families, adoption services, foster care, prenatal care, and community resources that help women facing difficult pregnancies.
As both a local elected official and a candidate for the Florida House, I understand the importance of partnership between state and local government. My goal is not to create conflict between Tallahassee and local communities, but to foster collaboration, mutual respect, and effective governance that empowers communities to solve local problems while advancing the broader interests of the State of Florida.
I believe we might need to have real conversations not to redefine but to establish that government is most responsive when decisions are made closest to the people, and I will continue to be a strong advocate for preserving and strengthening meaningful home rule authority.
Florida must take a practical approach to healthcare that expands access while remaining fiscally responsible. As federal subsidies decline and Medicaid costs shift to the states, Florida should focus on increasing access to preventive and primary care, strengthening the healthcare workforce, and improving efficiency within existing programs.
I support expanding community-based healthcare, telehealth, and workforce development initiatives to address shortages of nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals. The state should also ensure Medicaid resources are used effectively by promoting accountability, reducing waste, and prioritizing care for our most vulnerable residents.
As a firefighter and paramedic, I have seen firsthand that when people cannot access care early, health problems often become more serious and more expensive. Florida’s goal should be a healthcare system that is accessible, sustainable, and focused on delivering better outcomes.
While both property taxes and property insurance affect affordability, I believe many Floridians are currently more concerned about the cost of property insurance because it has become increasingly unpredictable and, in many cases, has risen much faster than household incomes. Also, local governments must fund essential services such as public safety, infrastructure, parks, and community programs that residents rely upon every day from property taxes.
As a local elected official and firefighter/paramedic, I understand that affordability is one of the top concerns facing Florida families. My focus will be on practical solutions that help residents remain in their homes, strengthen our communities, and improve Florida’s long-term economic stability.
