A tug-of-war over a utility in Gainesville may finally have come to an end.
The Florida House has passed legislation that would reverse a decision by Gainesville residents’ to keep local control of their local public utility provider.
A 2023 Florida law handed control of the regional utility to a board with members appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis. City residents have since voted twice to return control of the provider to the city.
Under the latest move by the legislature, that authority would give utility control back to the state-appointed authority.
The back-and-forth stems from the state complaining about high debt and utility prices with GRU, while local elected officials have expressed concern the state is looking to sell off public assets to private utilities.
Coral Gables Republican Representative Demi Busatta says the bill isn’t about directly targeting Gainesville.
“This is about many municipal utilities throughout our state that are using the utilities as their personal slush funds, and it needs to stop,” she said.
Gainesville Democratic Representative Yvonne Hayes Hinson said the move is going against local control.
“The voters in my community spoke clearly and overwhelmingly, 73% and then 75% voted for change. That vote was certified a court ruled they had the right to vote on it, and we should not override the people,” she said.
A similar bill is advancing in the Senate that does not have the specific preemption language, but that could change before it is voted on by that chamber.