Candidate Profile: Stephanie Murphy

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If elected, what are the three most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?

Affordability

Housing is the biggest financial challenge facing many Orange County families, and it’s the foundation of my affordability agenda. The simple reality is that we are not building enough housing to keep pace with our growing community, and that shortage is driving up costs.

As mayor, I will increase the supply of attainable housing by streamlining permitting, reducing unnecessary barriers to construction, encouraging thoughtful development where infrastructure already exists, and partnering with employers and the private sector to expand workforce housing. We can create more housing while protecting the character of our existing neighborhoods.

Orange County cannot become a world-class community if teachers, nurses, first responders, hospitality workers, young professionals, and families can no longer afford to live in the community they serve.

Livability

Livability means making Orange County a place where families can spend less time stuck in traffic and more time enjoying the community they call home. As our county continues to grow, we must invest in infrastructure before it falls behind. That means improving roads, modernizing transportation, expanding parks and recreational opportunities, protecting our natural resources, strengthening stormwater infrastructure, and delivering world-class county services.

Growth is a sign of Orange County’s success, but it must be managed thoughtfully. We can welcome new residents and businesses while protecting neighborhoods, preserving our quality of life, and ensuring our infrastructure keeps pace with growth.

Opportunity

Opportunity means creating an economy where every resident has the chance to build a successful future right here in Orange County. Tourism will always be one of our greatest strengths, but we must also diversify our economy by attracting higher-wage employers in industries like advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, life sciences, technology, and financial services, while continuing to support the small businesses that are the backbone of our local economy.

We also need to invest in people. That means expanding workforce training, apprenticeships, mentoring, and creating Orange County Promise so more students can earn a community college degree or workforce credential. We can’t afford not to make that investment. By connecting more residents to good-paying jobs and creating pathways to upward mobility, we can ensure Orange County remains a place where families can build lasting prosperity for generations to come.

Why do you deserve to elected in this race?

I’m prepared to lead Orange County on day one. Throughout my career in business, national security, and Congress, I’ve managed complex challenges, built consensus, and delivered results. The Orange County Mayor oversees an $8 billion-plus organization with thousands of employees, making it one of the largest executive leadership roles in Central Florida. But the mayor also serves as Chair of the Board of County Commissioners, where success depends on bringing people together, building consensus, and turning good ideas into action. My experience leading organizations and working across policy differences has prepared me to do both.

But this campaign isn’t about my résumé. It’s about the future of Orange County. I’m running to make our community more affordable, more livable, and full of opportunity so the next generation can build their future right here at home.

According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?

The greatest pressures on working families are the rising costs of housing, transportation, insurance, and everyday necessities. While many of those challenges are beyond the control of local government, county leaders have a responsibility to make every taxpayer dollar count.

Smart investments in stormwater systems, flood mitigation, and resilient infrastructure not only protect homes and businesses, they can also reduce risk over time. While the county can’t set insurance rates, lowering flood risk is one way local governments can help improve insurability and ease pressure on insurance costs over the long term.

My priorities are straightforward: make housing more attainable, improve infrastructure, grow higher-paying jobs, and ensure county government delivers better value for every taxpayer dollar. That’s how we make Orange County more affordable for the people who call it home.

Will you vote Yes or No on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions?

I will vote no. I support responsible property tax relief, but I do not support eliminating a major source of local revenue without a credible plan to replace it. Property taxes fund essential services residents rely on every day, including public safety, roads, parks, stormwater infrastructure, and emergency management.

I’m also concerned the proposal could make Florida’s housing shortage worse. Exempting newly permitted homes under $250,000 from property taxes would leave counties and cities responsible for providing roads, public safety, parks, and other services without the revenue to pay for them. That creates a strong disincentive to approve the attainable and workforce housing our community desperately needs.

Eliminating property taxes without a responsible replacement plan could also shift more of the burden to regressive taxes and fees that hit working families the hardest. Tax relief should be thoughtful, sustainable, and protect the services that make Orange County a great place to live.

Orange County’s budget has grown significantly in recent years, so we should first improve efficiency, hold departments accountable, and ensure taxpayer dollars are focused on core priorities. If this amendment were approved, my priority would be protecting public safety and other essential services through a comprehensive spending review, delaying lower-priority projects where appropriate, pursuing additional state support, and finding efficiencies before considering higher taxes or fees.

Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond?

Innovation and economic growth are essential to Orange County’s future, but they should not come at the expense of working families and small businesses. The rapid growth of data centers across Florida is increasing demand on our electric grid, and residents can feel the impact in their monthly utility bills whether those facilities are located in Orange County or somewhere else in the state.

Florida’s utility regulators should require transparency, full cost-of-service pricing, long-term commitments, and appropriate financial safeguards before utilities invest in new infrastructure for large energy users. Companies that require significant new generation, transmission, or grid upgrades should bear the cost of those investments rather than shifting them onto existing ratepayers.

As Orange County works to diversify our economy, we should welcome companies that create high-quality jobs, strengthen our tax base, and generate lasting economic value for our community. Every project should be evaluated on its overall economic impact and the opportunities it creates for our residents. In many cases, industries such as advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, life sciences, and technology create more jobs, stronger career pathways, and broader economic benefits than data centers alone. My focus will be on attracting the kinds of investments that deliver the greatest long-term return for Orange County while protecting residents from unnecessary increases in their cost of living.

What do you think is the biggest environmental issue your government should address in Florida?

Protecting Florida’s water resources while making our communities more resilient to flooding and extreme weather is one of the most important environmental challenges we face. In Orange County, clean water and resilient infrastructure aren’t just environmental priorities—they’re essential to protecting our neighborhoods, strengthening our economy, and maintaining our quality of life.

As mayor, I will invest in stormwater infrastructure, flood mitigation, water quality, conservation, and smart growth that protects our natural resources while accommodating a growing population. These investments also help safeguard homes and businesses, reduce long-term costs, and can improve our community’s resilience to future storms. Protecting our environment and protecting our economy go hand in hand, and Orange County should lead on both.

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