Does Tallahassee Understand South Dade? | State Rep. Kevin Chambliss on QNA

**Does Tallahassee understand the communities affected by the decisions it makes?** On this episode of *QNA: Questions Need Answers*, Munch sits down with Florida State Representative Kevin Chambliss of House District 117 for a wide-ranging conversation about South Dade, public policy, community advocacy and the realities of serving in the Florida Legislature. Chambliss shares his journey from growing up in Mississippi in a family with a history of civic and economic involvement to political organizing, congressional staff work and eventually representing South Dade in Tallahassee. He explains one of the first lessons he learned as a legislator: policymakers in Tallahassee do not automatically understand every community they represent through statewide legislation. Chambliss discusses how South Dade's combination of agricultural, suburban and urban communities shapes his approach to policy. The conversation explores agriculture and development, including efforts to protect Miami-Dade's Urban Development Boundary while addressing the region's need for housing. Chambliss also discusses property taxes and his concerns about state preemption of local governments, as well as Florida's property insurance challenges and consumer protections. The conversation then turns to public safety and criminal justice. Chambliss describes work involving Crime Stoppers, witness confidentiality, resources for local police departments and legislation designed to help formerly incarcerated people receive credit for skills and training they obtained while in prison. He also discusses efforts involving students with developmental disabilities, including protections for nonverbal students who may not be able to communicate when something has happened to them. Throughout the conversation, Chambliss returns to the importance of relationships—including working across party lines—while maintaining that his responsibility begins with the community that sent him to Tallahassee. **Topics include:** South Dade, Florida Legislature, agriculture, Urban Development Boundary, affordable housing, property taxes, property insurance, local government, state preemption, criminal justice, reentry, public safety, disability protections, bipartisanship and community advocacy. *QNA: Questions Need Answers* features honest conversations about community, culture and politics designed to encourage informed community dialogue.