In addition to her duties as Monroe County commissioner, Michelle Lincoln will spend the next year leading the charge as president of the Florida Association of Counties.
Composed of the Sunshine State’s 67 counties, FAC protects home rule as legislative sessions have seen preemption attempts by state lawmakers. Home rule gives local leaders and communities the ability to make decisions affecting their community. The association also collaborates with state legislators while advocating on a variety of policy issues ranging from the environment to tax policy.
Lincoln’s presidency comes at a time when the 2025-26 legislative session could address several key issues, including property tax and property insurance, all of which have big implications on the Florida Keys and the 66 other counties.
Lincoln was sworn in by her daughter, Mallory Pinto, during the association’s annual conference, held June 24-27 in Orlando. Lincoln is the first from Monroe County to hold the position with the group, which has been around since 1932. She was elected by commissioners from all Florida counties.
“It’s a humongous honor,” Lincoln told Keys Weekly. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of all county commissioners and staff. A prerequisite when filling out the application to run is you have to have a letter attached from the county giving you permission and saying this is supported.”
As president, Lincoln unveiled her policy committees as well as the chairs and vice chairs. County Commissioner Holly Raschein will head up FAC’s water and environment sustainability committee. FAC also has agriculture and rural, tax policy and federal policy committees, among others.
“Committees will entertain all bills coming to them from counties that would like FAC to support as the Florida House and Senate get together for legislative session,” Lincoln said. “Just like legislators get together in advance of their session, all county commissioners with FAC do the same thing. We’ll debate, we’ll have two meetings together, we’ll go home, discuss with our county commissioners and come back and do it again.
“We have amazing debates on the floor and vote and come up with policies and issues that we as FAC will support,” Lincoln continued. “When the legislative session starts, we know what our association will agree upon. However, things always come up that we’re not expecting.”
One of the perks of the presidency is a “stuff the bus”-like campaign. Lincoln reached out to United Way of Collier and the Florida Keys earlier this year to assess the needs of students. While pencils and paper can be in high demand, she was told about the food insecurities many students face after school and on the weekends.
Instead of “stuffing the bus” with school supplies this year, Lincoln requested the help of Comcast, the event sponsor, and the conference vendors to help her stuff bags with non-perishable, kid-friendly foods that local Monroe County food pantries could help distribute to children over the summer.
More than 350 bags were stuffed by event attendees in Orlando and brought back to the Keys. Filled to the top with juices, crackers, peanut butter, rice snacks and other healthy snacks, the bags were handed out to local food pantries across the Keys on June 30 during a gathering at KAIR in Marathon.
