TOP STORIES FROM LAST WEEK

Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affecting you.

Lori Berman, member, Florida Senate. Not surprisingly with DeSantis at the helm and his lackey Surgeon General in tow, Florida has not ordered any doses of the COVID vaccine for children under 5 years old. It’s anticipated that the federal government will approve vaccines for children from 6 months to 5 years old as early as this weekend. All 49 other states have pre-ordered their doses for this population who have yet to be eligible for vaccination, amounting to 10 million doses being pre-ordered. Instead, individual doctors will have to make these requests. As Congressman Charlie Crist stated, this is “reckless and unconscionable.”

Lamar Fisher, vice mayor, Broward County. This week, the Broward County Commission held a workshop to discuss the future of the Broward Commuter Rail project, a 27-mile “coastal link” extending from Aventura to Deerfield Beach. One major component could possibly put this vital project in jeopardy, the Locally Preferred Alternative for the New River Crossing. I have heard from residents, businesses, the marine industry and local governments and the consensus is that this project must move forward. It is my hope that everyone involved can come to an agreement in order to be able to leverage all funding opportunities.

Roni Raab, host, Shalom South Florida on WWNN. “Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew” (Martin Niemöller). The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) reports that there were 153 antisemitic incidents worldwide in May 2022. Now, prominent Massachusetts-based Jewish organizations appear on a lengthy “target” list of Jewish groups singled out by an anonymous group: the ‘Mapping Project.’ This initiative reminds me of the Nazi party’s maps identifying Jewish business to boycott. Good people worldwide must wake up and address this cancer that is quickly spreading. “Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me” (Niemöller)

Nan Rich, member, Broward County Commission. The Broward County Commission enacted a Tenant’s Bill of Rights ordinance. It requires residential landlords to provide “Notice of Rights” before executing or renewing a lease and specifies notice to tenant for late fees imposed under a rental agreement. It also requires landlords to provide tenants with a 60-day written notification period if the landlord intends to increase the rent on an annual lease by more than 5%. Leases are complicated documents, and that’s why it’s important to increase tenant awareness. As the affordable housing crisis continues to escalate, these steps will help provide guidance and protections to vulnerable residents.

Dr. Steven Ronik, CEO, Henderson Behavioral Health. Americans are 10 times more likely to be killed by guns than residents of the EU. Our gun-murder rate is 22 times higher. We need to stop conflating gun deaths with mental illness. Our mental health system is not appreciably better or worse than other nations. We spend roughly the same percent of GDP on mental health. Our number of mental health professionals per capita is similar as well. We’ll take the federal increase in mental health funding. We need it. Badly. But that won’t solve our gun-death problem. The answer is to pass legislation to promote gun safety and increase rigorous research on gun violence.

Kerry Ann Royes, CEO, YWCA South Florida . Seeing Juneteenth events populate commu- nity calendars across South Florida is refreshing. Black Americans have been aware of this historic milestone for generations, knowing that the emancipation of enslaved Africans did not align with another federal holiday celebrating freedom. It has only been in the past couple of years that the rest of America even knew the significance of this day. While long overdue, the recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday is a reminder that advocacy works. Let this day remind us of Dr. King’s powerful words, “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Tim Ryan, member, Broward County Commission. Summer in Florida brings scorching temperatures, rain showers and worst of all, mosquitos. While the first two are beyond our control, Broward County’s Mosquito Control Section is working hard to reduce the mosquito population. Crews have been spraying larvicide since June 8 and are expanding to reach different areas of the county. Residents and businesses can also play a role. Standing water allows mosquitos to breed, so limiting areas where water can collect on your property is a must. If you are experiencing mosquito problems, you can request service by calling 311 or by completing an online form at broward.org/ mosquito/pages/mosquitoservicerequest.aspx.

Debbi Hixon, member, Broward County School Board. Sadly, this week there was a tragic, unintentional shooting of a young man in Pembroke Pines. Every day, eight minors are unintentionally injured or killed due to family fire, a shooting involving an improperly stored or misused gun found in the home. Safe firearm storage should be the responsibility of every firearm owner and is vital to keeping our families and communities safe. Firearms should be secured in a gun safe or cabinet or a safety device such as a trigger or cable lock should be used to limit the accessibility by unauthorized users to help prevent these unintentional shootings.