It's October, a time of year when people around the country start consuming pumpkin spice-flavored everything and making Halloween plans. In Florida, where I live – and other places along the Eastern Seaboard, I suspect – we have another seasonal rite of passage.

It involves watching weather patterns develop off the west coast of Africa and trying to figure out which of them might form into hurricanes that could lay waste to our communities.

The more conscientious of us stock up on essentials and install impact-resistant windows, while some raid the liquor stores and make attempts at gallows humor.

Yet in Florida, our state leaders have taken measures that might leave taxpayers throughout the country huffing and puffing. What our state calls storm resiliency planning requires hardworking taxpayers to pay for some of our wealthiest residents' lifestyle choices, which often include rebuilding in hurricane-prone areas.

Last year was an active hurricane season, with three storms – Debby, Helene and Milton – all making landfall in the Sunshine State. Those storms, along with two others that hit other states in 2024, caused

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