LOOKING AHEAD TO THIS WEEK

Paul Castronovo, host, Paul Castronovo

Show on Big 105.9

This week, it was reported that the Church of Scientology has (pretty much) bought Clearwater. They have spent $103 million, effectively taking over downtown. We’ve seen Leah Remini’s TV series about them, and it seems odd that Tom Cruise and John Travolta are part of it. A friend went to the church to track down a friend’s daughter. They hadn’t heard from her in years. He was turned away, and followed for the next 3 days, until he left without speaking to her. Doesn’t sound, too, Godlike to me.

Wael Barsoum, M.D., CEO, president, Cleveland Clinic Florida

The 2020 ACA Open Enrollment Period runs November 1 to December 15, 2019. This is a very important window for the 800,000 South Florida residents and nearly 1.7 million Floridians, in total, currently enrolled in private plans through the federally run healthcare exchange. The fate of the ACA rests in the courts, but won’t impact 2020 coverage. Floridians should continue to pursue healthcare coverage on the exchange and use the vital preventive services. Enrollment tips are available at www.healthcare.gov and navigator assistance is offered at www.coveringflorida.org.

Barbara Sharief, member, Broward County

Commission

An elected Mayor doesn’t have to be a strong Mayor but a clearly identifiable community leader acting as a commission liaison to develop direction and move the county forward. The Mayor can be a tri-county advocate. The Mayor can be a non-voting member and therefore have the capability to communicate with each commissioner directly without the sunshine law interfering. This would allow the Mayor to gain insight on what priorities are most important for each commissioner and to build consensus on issues prior to placing them on the agenda.

Michael Gottlieb, member, Florida House

of Representatives

We are electing a Public Defender, State Attorney and Sheriff. It’s a pivotal time in an age of criminal justice reform, for us to shape Broward County and to help determine the direction we take for our children. These agencies determine the emphasis we place on jailing non-violent drug offenders and the mentally ill. The jail is Broward’s largest provider of mental health services. We must focus on important issues and not politics; to keeping us safe and ensuring that a population that needs helps gets help and is not incarcerated.

Peter Moore, president, Chen Moore and

Associates

Census 2020 is just around the corner. Everyone in Broward needs to be counted. Federal dollars related to population fund programs for children, the elderly, and lowerincome households alleviating the need to supplement programs with local taxpayer revenue, not to mention our representation in

Congress. As a father of a young child under five, I too need to make sure my child gets counted. Broward will be rolling out a robust marketing plan in the coming months. Learn more: www.browardcensus.org.

Howard Simon, retired executive director,

ACLU of Florida

One aspect of the investigation into President Trump’s withholding military aid to Ukraine — until the Ukrainian President agreed to help Trump manufacture political dirt on his likely opponent — has yet to enter the public conversation. Although Trump/ Putin ties remain a mystery, it’s apparent that Trump’s worldview seems to advance Russian interests. Besides withholding aid until the Ukrainian President provided help for Trump’s re-election, Trump was likely cool towards providing military assistance to Ukraine because it would be used against Russia — to resist Russia’s invasion and occupation by Russian-backed separatists.

Ted Deutch, member, U.S. House of Repre

sentatives

President Trump’s irresponsible decision to withdraw from Syria will do lasting damage on America’s security and global standing. We ceded our leadership in resolving the Syrian conflict and abandoned our partners on the ground. We left Kurds exposed to Turkish threats and opened the gates for Iran and Russia to expand their influence and tilt the Middle East’s future in their favor. We leave our Middle East and European allies exposed to greater threats from the Islamic State and Hezbollah. The House will move forward on more sanctions against Turkey.

Tracey Labgold, chairperson, Anti-Defamation League Florida

Today, we will mourn those lost one year ago in Pittsburgh. Beforehand, the attacker shared anti-Semitic and biased views online. On Monday, ADL Florida is holding No Place For Hate Day, and we are encouraging people to go online and share an image with a message conveying equity, equality, and acceptance, with the hashtag #noplaceforhate. Let’s stand firmly united against anti-Semitism.

Ghenete “G” Wright Muir, attorney,

LGBTQ advocate

The 17th Annual Equality Florida Broward Gala (Nov. 9) is right around the corner. Equality Florida, founded in 1997, is the “largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.” Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried will be honored. Details: equalityflorida.org/browardgala