Proper semantic with CSS styling is faster. You don't have to repeat <font/> tags etc.
CSS is more "complex" only if you lack understanding how it works. Main reason that Ruby on Rails was (is?) such a success is that proper MVC (MTV) design pattern implementation made things simpler.
Yet, for average PHP programmer that'd be more "complex". Same with (X)HTML + CSS. It looks more complex only if you don't understand CSS or using WYSIWYG tools.
CSS is more "complex" only if you lack understanding how it works. Main reason that Ruby on Rails was (is?) such a success is that proper MVC (MTV) design pattern implementation made things simpler.
Yet, for average PHP programmer that'd be more "complex". Same with (X)HTML + CSS. It looks more complex only if you don't understand CSS or using WYSIWYG tools.