Serving House District 70 is personal for State Representative Michael Owen because this is home. The district includes portions of Hillsborough and Manatee counties, including Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Sun City Center, Riverview, Wimauma and Balm. These communities are home to families, businesses and residents who expect state government to stay focused on issues that affect everyday life.
Owen has called Hillsborough County home for almost all of his life. He was raised in Brandon, built his career here and has spent more than 20 years as a small business owner. Before being elected to the Florida House in 2024, he served on the Hillsborough County Commission. His experience in local government gave him perspective as state government tackles issues such as affordability, transportation and infrastructure, property insurance, public safety, protection of natural resources and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
He has carried that local perspective with him to Tallahassee. His committee assignments have included State Affairs, Insurance and Banking, Natural Resources and Disasters, Student Academic Success, Transportation and Economic Development Budget and the Select Committee on Property Taxes. Each of these areas touches issues that affect the people he represents.
During his time in the House, Owen has worked on legislation addressing consumer protections, regional planning and economic development, health care and local issues affecting Hillsborough County. He has also focused on transportation, property taxes, insurance, education, public safety and protecting Florida’s natural resources.
Owen said his background in local government has reinforced the importance of making sure decisions in Tallahassee reflect how policies will affect communities at home. Whether the issue is roads and infrastructure, cost pressures facing families, support for law enforcement or responsible use of taxpayer dollars, he believes state leaders should understand the impact of the decisions they make.
For Owen, public service is about listening to the people he represents and carrying their concerns into the decisions made in Tallahassee. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve District 70 and, if elected, said he will continue working on the issues that matter to the families, businesses and communities that make the area home.
