Cost of Living
Rent, groceries, gas, utilities, insurance, everything costs more and wages aren't keeping up. Families in District 119 are not failing. The system is failing them. Tallahassee has spent years focused on culture-war bills while real affordability legislation goes nowhere.
What I'll do
Tax relief on household essentials, stronger consumer protections against hidden fees and price gouging, wage transparency requirements, and keeping affordability, not ideology, at the center of every budget debate.
Housing & Renters
People who grew up in West Kendall and South Miami-Dade can't afford to stay here anymore. Rents have skyrocketed, application fees stack up before you even sign a lease, and landlords can charge whatever they want with no real oversight. This is not the market working, this is people being pushed out of their own communities.
What I'll do
Incentives for affordable and workforce housing near jobs, schools, and transit. Renter protections against abusive fees and deceptive deposits. Transparency requirements in rental applications. State support for responsible housing development, building up, not out into protected land.
Homeowners Insurance
Homeowners in District 119 are getting hit with premium increases year after year, while insurance companies delay claims, drop policyholders, and find every excuse not to pay. The reforms that have passed haven't fixed the problem for real families. People are being forced to go bare or leave Florida entirely.
What I'll do
Stronger oversight of rate increase requests, mandatory timeline requirements for claim processing, expanded mitigation credits for homeowners who harden their homes, more transparency in Citizens and private insurer decisions, and tougher penalties for bad-faith claim denials.
HOA Reform
HOAs are supposed to protect and maintain our communities, but too many have become unaccountable, expensive, and punishing. Residents get hit with surprise fees, unclear fines, and boards that operate in the dark. In a community like ours, where homeownership is often a family's biggest financial asset, this matters.
What I'll do
HOA budget transparency and annual disclosure requirements, fairer fine and lien processes, stronger notice requirements before enforcement actions, easier resident access to records, and real enforcement when boards abuse power. HOAs should work for residents, not against them.
Transit & Traffic
West Kendall residents spend hours in traffic every day. That time is money, gas, wear on your car, hours away from your family. And right now, there are almost no real transit options for people in our district. Tallahassee has failed to invest in regional connectivity while suburbs like ours have exploded in population.
What I'll do
State funding for improved bus routes and park-and-ride expansion in West Kendall, rapid transit connections to existing Metrorail lines, road safety improvements on our most dangerous corridors, and long-term regional planning that treats transit as an affordability issue, not just a convenience.
Jobs & Small Business
As a small business owner and someone who has worked service jobs his whole life, Rey knows what it takes to build something and how quickly regulations, fees, and economic pressure can kill it. People in District 119 need better local opportunities, and growth that doesn't destroy the character of our neighborhoods.
What I'll do
Small business grants and technical assistance programs, workforce training tied to real local jobs, incentives for job-creating development on underused commercial land, and policies that attract good employers without sacrificing the neighborhoods and green spaces that make South Miami-Dade worth living in.
Environment & Water
Miami-Dade's canals, parks, Everglades, and Biscayne Bay are not just beautiful, they are part of our quality of life, our flood protection, and our future. Development pressure is real, and some in Tallahassee have been too willing to let it come at the expense of protected land and clean water.
What I'll do
Stronger water-quality enforcement, recurring funding for canal and park maintenance, protection of conservation and agricultural reserve land, investment in flood resilience and drainage, and opposing any effort to open protected natural areas to development. Smart growth means building where we should, not where we shouldn't.
Education & Children
Rey is a Miami Dade College student working his way through school while holding down jobs and running a business. He knows firsthand that education is not free and not easy, and that the system isn't set up to help people like him succeed. Too many kids in District 119 are getting left behind, and too many families are not getting the support they need.
What I'll do
Increased funding for public schools and teacher recruitment and retention. Mental health support in schools. Food security and after-school programs for working families. Stronger accountability and resources in the foster care system. And making sure that every kid in District 119, regardless of zip code or family income, has a real shot.
Animal Welfare
Shelters are overcrowded, rescues are stretched thin, and animal cruelty often goes without real consequences. Floridians care deeply about animals, this should be reflected in how our state funds and enforces animal welfare.
What I'll do
State funding for spay and neuter programs, expanded shelter capacity, stronger rescue and adoption partnerships, and tougher enforcement against animal cruelty and neglect. If we can find money for political consultants, we can find money to take care of animals who have no voice.
Personal Freedom & Privacy
Government has a job to do, and it isn't interfering in people's personal lives. Lower housing costs. Fix the insurance crisis. Improve transportation. Strengthen schools. Keep neighborhoods safe. The decisions that belong to individuals and families should stay there.
What I'll do
Oppose government interference in personal and medical decisions. Ensure every resident is treated equally under the law, regardless of background, faith, or who they love. Protect religious freedom for all. And keep our community's focus where it belongs: lowering costs, expanding opportunity, and building a District 119 where every family can afford to stay.
