LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK

Alexandria Ayala, member, Palm Beach County School Board. After months of contentious debate surrounding masks in schools, children aged 5-11 finally have the opportunity to be vaccinated against COVID-19. I encourage all parents to discuss the vaccine with their pediatricians and get their children vaccinated, for their protection as well as our community’s. As a school board member, my No. 1 priority throughout this pandemic has been keeping children and employees in our schools safe. We have come so far and protected so many by putting protections in place. Let’s use every tool at our disposal to overcome this pandemic and get back to learning.

Lori Berman, member, Florida Senate. Gov. DeSantis caved to his radical base this week by calling on the Legislature to pass new “election integrity,” or anti-voter, laws. Florida only just passed its last election package, which saw access to vote-by-mail drop boxes reduced, made it a crime to have a friend drop off your ballot, and more. Now, DeSantis wants to make collecting the ballots of friends and family a felony and create an unserious “police force” to investigate nonexistent election crimes. He even stated he wants to ditch drop boxes completely. DeSantis is on a downward spiral toward authoritarianism.

Michael De Lucca, president, Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc. We are less than 10 weeks away from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment deadline. Visit Healthcare.gov or call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 to enroll in a 2022 health insurance plan today. Unfortunately, a large share of the population is unaware that the ACA offers financial assistance to buy insurance. Most of the uninsured in a typical year are eligible for financial help to buy coverage, and of those, most are eligible for a free or low-cost plan. Don’t miss out on the Jan. 15 deadline and get covered today!

Dr. Michael Dennis, chair, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. Massive reductions in our workforce are having disastrous consequences. Many industries are struggling. Hospitals are shutting down wards for lack of adequate nursing staff. Many operating rooms are only accepting emergency procedures. Airlines such as Southwest and American are cancelling hundreds of flights for lack of personnel. Schools are unable to accommodate students appropriately. And the number of people leaving jobs is the highest since recordings were begun in 2000. The primary culprit: COVID19. With many aspects of human life negatively impacted, it’s all the more reason to follow every proven effective means of containing and eventually eliminating this dread disease.

Marty Kiar, property appraiser, Broward County. Broward County’s Tax Collector’s Office is mailing the property tax bills for 2021. For taxpayers whose bills are paid by escrow arrangement, a courtesy tax bill copy will be mailed in mid-November. These bills are also available to view, print and pay online at broward.county-taxes.com/public. To receive the 4% early payment discount, the tax bill must be postmarked in November. If you have questions about this bill, please contact their office at 954-831-4000.

Eleanor Sobel, former member, Florida Senate. The U.S. Supreme Court recently considered a challenge to New York state’s concealed-weapons-permit law. If successful, the challenge may expand the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. New York’s century-old system allows the state to limit gun access in crowded areas such as the boroughs of New York City. Although gun advocates claim the current law limits their freedom and violates their constitutional rights, Americans deserve the right to feel safe and secure, especially in crowded spaces. Even if carriers have no ill intentions, there are around 40,000 accidental gun deaths every year. Such legislation is necessary.

Robert Weinroth, member, Palm Beach County Commission. Palm Beach County commissioners took their first stab at redistricting. Seven single member districts must be redrawn to balance population changes over the past decade. This year, commissioners have set out to establish a second “minority” district. In 1990, commissioners gave a voice to the underrepresented Black community. With the Hispanic community growing to 44% of the county population, commissioners are committed to creating a district where Hispanic residents represent over 50% of the registered voters. Commissioners are scheduled to finalize the new maps in December to allow the Supervisor of Elections to prepare for elections next year.

Thomas Wenski, archbishop, Archdiocese of Miami. On July 11, Cubans took to the streets throughout the island shouting, “We are not afraid,” “Liberty” and “Down with the Dictatorship.” They were met with severe repression as the political police of Cuba’s communist party beat up peaceful protesters. Cuba’s emergent civil society has called for new protests of Nov. 15 or 15N. Cubans are enduring the ravages of COVID and collapse of their health care system but they are also suffering the results of 62 years of one-party misrule: hunger, repression and the lack of a future. Next week will be of great consequence to Cuba — and for South Florida.