As Florida prepares to set clocks back an hour this Sunday, calls to end daylight saving time (DST) continue from both state government officials and local residents.
“It’s something I don’t look forward to every year ... Mechanical clocks are the worst because you’ve got to stop them for an hour and then start them all over again," said Noime Ras, the owner of Quality Time Service in Naples Park.
Ras, whose shop along U.S. Route 41 near Mercato specializes in watch and antique clock repairs, sees a surge in customers every year around time change season.
Many of his clients are older and struggle to adjust their intricate timepieces, or simply don't understand the technology.
“About a week before to about a week later, they come in and want me to change the time because they don’t know how to do it,” said Ras.
Legislation to end DST has been a topic of discussion for years, with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio leading the charge.
In 2018, Rubio proposed the Sunshine Protection Act to keep the time the same year-round, and it was backed by then-governor Rick Scott. While popular in Florida, the proposal has repeatedly stalled in Congress.
For Ras and others who’ve experienced life without DST, the time change is simply outdated.
“I would love it to go away ... In my old home, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the time zone change was always the same," said Ras.
The United States will officially end DST at 2 a.m. this Sunday, giving residents an extra hour of rest — at least until next spring.
