LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK
ANTI-BUSINESS REPUBLICANS, Ken LaRoe, founder, Climate First Bank: The tried-and-true tenet of the Republican Party — supporting business interests more than the Democratic Party does — simply isn’t true anymore. Economies rely on stable governments, and Gov. DeSantis and his allies are doing everything in their power to undermine the foundations of our democracy. I’ve come to the difficult conclusion that a Democrat simply cannot win in Florida, meaning our businesses are only going to face more challenges. Companies should take a stand, supporting access to fair elections and non-conspiracy-theorist Republicans, even if only for their own sakes.
David Leavitt, former Seminole County Libertarian Party chairman, CEO of Refresh Computers: Taxpayers pay to change the names of the newly elected on billboards, gas pumps, envelopes, and other forms of political advertising that supposedly aren’t advertising. This is a scam on the taxpayer that has been going on for years. Democrats and Republicans are equally guilty. For example, do we need to pay to see the agriculture commissioner’s name and photo on every gas pump in Florida? In doing so, aren’t we contributing to her future political campaign? Many local and state offices, from tax collector to the governor himself, are guilty of the same tactics. After all, their predecessor did it.
POLITICIANS’ PHOTOS EVERYWHERE,
JUNETEENTH, Eddy Moratin, president, Lift Orlando: This weekend, people throughout Orlando are gathering to celebrate Juneteenth, the annual holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. This day is more than a holiday, it’s a time to reflect and honor the promise of true freedom in America.
EVEN HIGHER A/C BILLS, Pamela Nabors, president/CEO, CareerSource Central Florida:
As if inflation isn’t already bad enough, recently approved utility rate hikes are really going to impact already high air conditioning bills. Those of us in Florida will be hit in the wallet even more this summer. I just saw my projected bill — scary because it’s only June! While upping the thermostat and using ceiling fans can help to lower the bills, for those already struggling to make ends meet, these measures may not be enough. For those that qualify, the American Rescue Plan provides funds to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and most energy companies offer payment assistance programs on their websites.
ARTS AUDIT, Brendan O’Connor, editor in chief, Bungalower. United Arts of Central Florida shared recently that it would be partnering with the DeVos Institute of Arts Management to complete an Arts Ecology Study in Orange County. While I hate to see that family spread its claws further into our local cultural fabric, this much-needed special audit will take a holistic look at the local arts ecology and its institutions, arts programs in local public schools, and the quality of our local administrative management and audiences.
DISNEY-DESANTIS DIVIDE, Jim Philips, retired longtime radio talk-show host: “The ball is in your court” is a well-worn idiom. But in this case, it can apply to Gov. DeSantis. DeSantis pressured the Legislature to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District after being annoyed at Disney’s response to the so-called “don’t say gay” law. Now Disney has backhanded that stroke by announcing it will delay moving 2,000 high-paying jobs to Orlando from California. What’s next from DeSantis? Lob? Overhead? Dink? Maybe we can all agree that no one can claim “game, set, and match” between the two.
Gloria Pickar, president emerita, League of Women Voters of Orange County: Gov. DeSantis has drafted legislation that would increase his control over the university classroom, curriculum and faculty. He has already mandated student and faculty surveys to ferret out “indoctrination” and approved a bill to reduce funding for teaching “divisive concepts” in “politicized” courses with liberal bias. Now he wants his governor-appointed state university and college boards to make faculty hiring decisions rather than the presidents and academic leaders. The board’s role is to establish policies that achieve the institution’s mission, employ and advise the president who manages the institution, assume fiduciary responsibility and protect it from external threats. Is DeSantis the threat?
HIGHER EDUCATION UNDER SIEGE,
ELEPHANT’S PERSONHOOD, Larry Pino, attorney and entrepreneur: New York’s highest court ruled in a 5-2 ruling that Happy the Elephant is not a legal person allowed to be freed from her Bronx Zoo confinement under habeas corpus. What was surprising were two things: first, the court’s argument was that challenging her confinement could be disruptive to the owner’s property and agricultural rights; second, that two of the five justices disagreed, arguing that prior legal precedents used exactly that same property-rights argument to support slavery. History overturned enslaved humans as property. It will be interesting to see what happens if sentient beings on four legs are next.