Florida representative District 81: Meet candidate Greg Folley

Greg Folley , is a member of the Marco Island City Council . He was first appointed to the council and was elected to a full four-year term in November 2022. He served as chairman in 2023.

Folley has been active on social media , posting videos on topics including property insurance; graffiti supporting Hamas; supporting former President Donald Trump; Fourth of July celebrations; and Florida's Amendment 4 on abortion , which is on the Nov. 5 ballot.

A former officer at Caterpillar and an attorney, Folley now lives on Marco Island. Folley attended the U.S. Naval Academy but was medically discharged.

Folley is married and is father of nine, stepfather of two, and grandfather of 11. He announced July 22 an endorsement by State Representative Spencer Roach , who represents House District 76 in the Florida Legislature, which includes DeSoto and parts of Charlotte and Lee counties.

About District 81

District 81 covers from Naples Park east of Golden Gate south through Marco Island and including Goodland and Isles of Capri. It is bordered on the East by Collier Boulevard/County Road 951.

Who is Folley running against?

Two Republicans and one Democrat are seeking to become the Representative for Florida House District 81 – a big change from 2022 when Republican Bob Rommel was the incumbent and ran unopposed.

Rommel has termed out after eight years in the post and is running for state Senate District 28.

Folley faces Yvette Benarroch in the Aug. 20 primary . Both Folley and Benarroch live on Marco Island.

Robert Charles Work is the only Democrat to file and qualify for District 81. A retired attorney now living in Naples, Work is serving as his own campaign treasurer, according to his campaign documents. Work skips straight to run against the Republican candidate Nov. 5.

How much as Folley raised so far?

Folley has raised $472,158: $136,985 in monetary contributions, $325,810 in loans and $9,363 in-kind contribution as of July 24.

Here are candidate Folley's answers to our questions:

Why do you want to be the next state representative for District 81?

I am running for this office to serve my community, state and country and to fight to preserve our God-given freedoms. I believe a life well-lived is made up of three stages: to learn, earn, and then return. I have had a great education and a highly rewarding career. It is now my time to return by leveraging my skills to serve my state and the country I love so much.

What separates you from your opponents?

My opponent talks about what she will do. I can show what I have done. Since retiring, I have served on City Council on Marco Island for four years, and have driven massive savings for the City (about 40% of the annual budget on an NPV basis) by restructuring unaffordable pension benefits while still maintaining above market benefits for our firefighters and police. Further, I have served taxpayers by reducing taxes by 27% during my time in office, keeping government on a diet while still meeting the needs of the community. Further, we have protected our freedoms by enacting the Healthcare Bill of Rights and making Marco Island a Constitutionally Protected Freedom Zone to protect against federal government overreach. My opponent has never achieved anything like this as she has never held office.

Note: NPV stands for net present value.

What life or work experiences do you have that make you the best candidate?

I served on the Reagan White House staff and then practiced labor and employment law before being hired by one of my major clients, Caterpillar Inc. There I served as lead labor negotiator, HR Director for the UK, Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief Innovation Officer, and then as President of Caterpillar Reman and Caterpillar Logistics. In my final role I successfully lead a business with revenues of over $10 billion, 10,000 employees and 72 facilities in 18 states and 18 countries on six continents. I held multiple jobs for the first time and was challenged by placement in others with little or no experience, and always delivered outstanding results. My opponent has nothing approaching this level of experience or accomplishment.

What are the biggest issues facing District 81, and how would you address them?

1. Controlling inflation, particularly the cost of home ownership and insurance, and 2. Managing growth. Home ownership costs can be controlled by continuing to expand the homestead exemption, and insurance costs can be addressed by sustaining legal reforms passed in 2023 and by expanding the My Safe FL Home Program and by eliminating taxes on flood and property insurance premiums. The most important growth management issue is to ensure our infrastructure is meeting the needs of our growing population, by expanding upon the governor's Moving FL Forward initiative, which has pulled forward major projects by a decade or more.

What are your top priorities, if elected to District 81?

1. Keeping FL free and safe, by minimizing taxes and burdensome regulations, and by providing strong support and competitive pay for law enforcement. 2. Fighting inflation, as discussed above, and 3. Managing growth, as discussed above and by working effectively with the next administration to deport all those who are in this country illegally.

Florida's insurance keeps rising. How do you think the state should address the issue?

When I asked incoming Speaker Perez what his top priorities were, he answered "property insurance, property insurance, and property insurance." This is a high priority for me as well. There is no silver bullet, but continuing to build on the reforms of the past two sessions, which has lead to nine new insurance companies entering the Florida market and a major drop in lawsuits against insurance companies, and finally, stabilization in insurance rates this year with 10 insurers proposing rate reductions so far this year and numerous others holding rates flat. We must also be sure to encourage availability of reinsurance for companies doing business in our state, as well as continued support and expansion of the My Safe FL Home Program.

Abortion will be on the Florida ballot this year with Amendment 4, which would protect women's right to abortion in Florida. What is your stance on abortion?

I’m pro-life, but I think that one point upon which both pro-life and pro-choice advocates can agree is that something as complex as the issue of abortion should not be a part of our Constitution. This is an issue for the Legislature where we can debate policy details without a one-size-fits-all plank in our Constitution. This amendment may have far-reaching and draconian implications for healthcare policy and will make our state one of the most radical pro-abortion constituencies in the world. It should be rejected by the voters.

The environment is another huge issue for Florida. How do you think the state should address clean water and other problems?

I will work to support and expand the projects of the SW Florida Water Management District, including the Picayune Strand pumping station to replenish the Everglades and the major reservoirs around Lake Okeechobee, which when completed will do a huge amount to control nutrient runoff to the southern part of the state and to the Gulf. Further, as appropriate, I will support efforts to transition septic systems over to sewer to minimize the negative impact of those older systems.

Thoughts on Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoing all of Florida’s planned arts and culture grants in the state’s 2024-25 budget?

There is a need for a more serious conversation about whether any of the arts should be funded by the taxpayers or whether it should be left to private foundations and individuals. When we have big choices to make about public safety, transportation, and the Everglades, it is hard to make the case that state funding for the arts should be a priority. I appreciate Gov DeSantis’ commitment to fiscal discipline and setting the tone for a future debate on best protecting the taxpayers.

What is your stance on allowing recreational marijuana in Florida and how would you regulate it?

I am opposed to legalization of marijuana for recreational use. This policy has been a disaster in other states like California and Colorado, and it will have a destructive impact on Florida’s tourism economy. Furthermore, this is another issue that should not be enshrined in our Constitution and is best left for debate on the floor of the Legislature where we can discuss the various points of view in an informed way.

More: Republicans Folley, Benarroch talk Medicaid, guns, more at first District 81 forum

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Florida representative District 81: Meet candidate Greg Folley