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WATCH • FLORIDA'S FUTURE

The Florida I Remember (And What We're Losing)

By David Jolly Published: 2025-01-15 Last updated: 2025-01-15
The Florida I Remember video thumbnail

Key moments

0:20

"Everybody wants to come to Florida. And I remember thinking, wow, there's something special about Florida."

0:52

"50% of the state doesn't have enough savings to last two weeks. The average age of first time homebuyer is now around 40 years old."

1:35

"Florida was always moving towards hospitality for everyone. In the last decade we've slid backwards."

What this covers

David Jolly reflects on the Florida he grew up in, and the one slipping away from working families today. A state that once meant affordable sunshine and hospitality for everyone now feels out of reach for too many.

What's said

The video names the contrast between Florida's past and present: a place people retired to for quality of life, now a state where half the population doesn't have two weeks of savings. See the full take at 0:37.

Transcript

Verified transcript of the video above.

0:05 There used to be a certain dreamlike quality to Florida. People would retire here for a quality of life, for affordability, affordable sunshine.
0:17 As a kid, I remember at a certain age realizing, wait, everybody wants to come to Florida, either because they were coming on a Disney World vacation or because it was sunshine.
0:28 People wanted to retire here. And I remember thinking, wow, there's something special about Florida.
0:37 And there was and there is and there still is. You know, despite all of the divisiveness in our politics and the economy, it is still a remarkably special state, a remarkably special place.
0:52 But we know that the state's getting away from us. And for too many people it is no longer affordable. They don't feel welcome. 50% of the state doesn't have enough savings to last two weeks.
1:04 The average age of first time homebuyer is now around 40 years old. People are going without health care. We've abandoned public education.
1:14 Some communities, you look for a public school and there's not one, and you go to a choice school and it's costing you more money because they want tuition on top of the voucher.
1:24 Florida is not what I remember as a kid. It's still that special place, but it's slipping away from us.
1:32 And I harken back to the days of the Bob Graham era, the Lawton Chiles era. Look, Florida had its challenges and problems. I mean, we had significant race relations back then.
1:44 We were slow when it came to embracing the civil rights era compared to other states. Everything wasn't perfect in Florida, but at least it was a place that was always moving towards hospitality for everyone.
1:57 And we were getting through those chapters and moving forward, and it feels as though in the last decade we've slid backwards.
2:06 I just believe there are enough of us that believe in something better, and those values give us a coalition of the willing. I believe we've got a shot to change the world.

Related questions

What does David Jolly mean by "affordable sunshine"?

The phrase captures what Florida used to represent: a place where working families could afford to live well, retire comfortably, and enjoy the state's natural appeal. That combination of quality of life and affordability is what drew generations to Florida. See the video at 0:05 for David Jolly's full description of what the state once was.

What changed between the Bob Graham era and now?

David Jolly points to a shift in values. Florida wasn't perfect in the 1980s and 1990s, but it was moving toward hospitality for everyone. The state was addressing its challenges and becoming more inclusive. In the last decade, the direction reversed. See the video at 1:32 for his take on what that earlier era represented.

What does he mean by "a coalition of the willing"?

The phrase describes Floridians who share values, not party affiliation. Different backgrounds. Different beliefs. Same understanding that the state should work for everyone. That coalition is what makes change possible. See the video at 2:06 for the full close.

More on Florida's future

The state's slipping away from us.

But there are enough of us who believe in something better. Have a question for David? Visit the Town Hall and ask.