Fiona McFarland delivers for Sarasota—Our Representative in Tallahassee

Protecting our water quality & environment

Sarasota County’s water quality is not something we can compromise. Fiona is committed to protecting our water quality and our natural beauty for generations to come.

• Secured $1.4 million for Historic Spanish Point shoreline restoration
• Focused on the threats of sea level rise & flooding with Florida’s first-in-the-nation “Always Ready” coastal resiliency program
• Prioritized water quality improvement by securing $487,500 for the Bobby Jones watershed restoration

Strengthening Florida’s economy

Hardworking Floridians are struggling in the face of out-of-control inflation and rapidly rising costs. Fiona is working hard to lower costs, cut taxes, and help us continue our economic recovery.

• Supported workforce training programs to make it easier for Floridians to find good-paying jobs
• Reduced government regulations & taxes on businesses and workers, including a $1 billion sales tax rebate on items for Florida’s Families
• Helped Floridians access the resources they need by rebuilding the CONNECT unemployment system to streamline the claims process

Working towards affordable housing

Sarasota County families are getting squeezed as housing costs skyrocket. Fiona is determined to focus on solutions that make renting and buying a home more affordable.

• Delivered a record-breaking $362.7 million for affordable housing programs, the most ever in state history, including over $1.5m directly to Sarasota
• Passed bipartisan property insurance reform to combat rising home insurance costs
• Promoted pathways to homeownership for Florida’s hometown heroes, including first responders, teachers, childcare employees, and healthcare workers by covering closing costs and down payments for first-time homeowners

Supporting Florida families

As a mom of two, Fiona is committed to putting Florida families first.

• Stood up for our most vulnerable by securing a record-breaking $150 million in child welfare funding
• Protected Florida moms & babies by improving services for pregnant women and new mothers - including expanding maternal post-partum coverage to twelve months
• Supported Florida fathers with $74 million in educational and mentorship programs
• Passed Florida’s No Patient Left Alone Act to protect the rights of hospital, hospice, and nursing home patients and ensure visitation rights for patients in Florida

Fighting for world-class education

From Pre-K school readiness to higher education and vocational education programs, Fiona will always fight for our students.

• Increased per-student funding in Sarasota County by $459 per student over the previous year, the highest per-student level of funding in state history
• Raised Sarasota County teacher salary allocations by $4.1 million - an all-time high and an increase of 47% over the previous year
• Championed increased Voluntary Pre-K funding and stronger standards to ensure kindergarten readiness
• Secured $29 million to provide free books to the home of any struggling young reader

Supporting safe communities and law enforcement

• Invested in school safety through improved emergency preparation and response policies as well as increased mental health training, funding, and suicide prevention
• Championed increased pay and bonuses for law enforcement, firefighters, and corrections officers to help retain and attract dedicated public servants
• Strengthened anti-human trafficking efforts in Florida through increased training and social media investigations