Florida Policymaker Builds Communities on Education, Violence Prevention

Florida Representative Tony Hill knows some communities are left out of our new economic prosperity. Hill, an active member of CPA’s Southeast Policy Leaders Forum and Board of Directors, is the voice of working families who struggle to keep up. He knows that cornerstones for these families are solid public education, health and security in their communities and economic opportunity.

A vocal opponent of the voucher measure that swept through Florida, Hill argued that Florida’s blanket-statewide voucher bill did little to hold participating schools across the state accountable for consistent standards and was preceded by no experimental pilot program, as was the case in Cleveland.

Hill led efforts on a number of fronts during the last session to promote healthy and safe communities in Florida. He gained support for a $250,000 grant to establish a task force to study AIDS in Florida, and funding for a $250,000 health "tool box" for breast and prostate cancer education and prevention programs in minority communities. Believing that gun control is needed to ensure safer communities, Hill also introduced a measure (HB 695) requiring the proper storage and use of safety locks for firearms.

Tapping into the new economy is a challenge for people unless they have necessary job skills. Hill, who also serves as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Florida AFL-CIO, wants to see the Workforce Investment Act provide job training for well-paying jobs in Florida. "We need to give working families the training to compete for quality jobs," he says.