The top stories last week

Howard Finkelstein, chief public defender, Broward County

We were almost there. As a nation, we were finally starting to see the reality of police brutality, as black man after black man was gunned down on camera. We could no longer ignore what every black parent has had to teach her child. The Obama Justice Department couldn’t either, and filed civil rights lawsuits, starting a national conversation. But our new Justice Department says that police brutality is not a federal problem. Last week, Attorney General Sessions scaled back racial profiling and excessive force investigations. He put the blinders back on. Just when we were starting to see.

Mike Satz, Broward state attorney

A new Broward County data map showing the places where people have died from opioid overdoses is startling. It reinforces the sad reality that Broward, along with the rest of South Florida, is combating a genuine opioid epidemic. As the Sentinel detailed last week, there were 582 overdose deaths in Broward last year, up from 322 the year before. This new map will help law enforcement and first responders help decide where to deploy assistance, and hopefully show the public just what a widespread problem this community is fighting.

Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, VP/community relations, Nova Southeastern

This week I joined 40 other businesswomen for a mentoring session with several hundred women. This “speed dating style” program with short sessions flew by. I was thrilled to meet these dynamic and energized professionals seeking guidance and inspiration. I talked to young professionals starting their careers, women looking for educational opportunities, and others starting a new phase from long-time corporate positions. It was a rewarding experience demonstrating how easy it is to mentor someone and how mentoring is meaningful at all phases of life. What extraordinary mentors I have had whose insight and perspective I still seek.

Mitch Ceasar, former chairman, Broward Democratic Party

Alcohol continues to take lives. The Sun Sentinel has detailed the tragic story of 6-year-old Shiraz Benyamin, who is now an orphan because of drinking. Her Mom and Dad were recently killed in an auto accident. The parents were out for the Dad’s birthday and used a car service to get to their destination. Unfortunately, for the way home they took a ride from another “partygoer.” It is now not enough to act responsible for yourself, try to help others to not get behind the wheel. Ride hailing is now a new tool.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Archdiocese of Miami

Last week was the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I. The “war to end all wars” opened the 20th century and its history of devastating wars and genocides. The conditions that led to WWI are similar to those faced today. Industrialization sparked globalization then as digitalization has sparked it today. The steamship expanded trade and immigration then as supertankers and airlines do today. Then national security was threatened and undermined by anarchists. Today we call them terrorists. Nationalism fueled conflict then and is doing so again today. If we don’t learn lessons of history, we will be condemned to repeat it.

Tom Shea, president, Right Management

Abe Fischler’s legacy is so deeply and richly ingrained in Broward that it’s almost impossible to imagine our community without his vision of education’s transformative power. Dr. Fischler, who passed away last week, set Nova Southeastern University’s innovative path — years before the world understood technology’s potential. When the wider community tackled tough issues, he was always there to lead with insight and positive energy. His passion, humility, creativity and humor made a tremendous, lifelong difference.

Nan Rich, member, Broward County Commission

At the Broward Housing Summit, more than 200 business, community, and government leaders came together to help solve Broward’s affordable workforce housing crisis. They agreed that we need a new, dedicated source of funding; and the governor and Legislature need to stop raiding the Sadowski Housing Trust Fund. Unfortunately, Speaker Corcoran believes the Sadowski Trust has become too generous by easing costs for “fully salaried and employed” residents. Of course it eases costs. That’s the population that suffers because Broward has the most costburdened housing market in the nation, with the greatest disparity between low wages and high cost of housing.

Paul Castronovo, host, Paul Castronovo Show

It’s baseball season and the story of the Miami Marlins isn’t about hitting and pitching; it’s about who’s going to buy the team. With the news that Jeb Bush and Derek Jeter are both fronting groups trying to buy the team, let’s play devil’s advocate. Who would you prefer? Both need a job, Jeter just retired from the Yanks, and his wife probably wants him out of the house, and Jeb didn’t get the nomination for president…who’s more qualified? One of the greatest ballplayers in the history of the game, or a guy whose brother once owned the Texas Rangers?

Barbara M. Sharief, mayor, Broward County

I received unanimous support for a new two-year pilot program that will close the digital divide in the Broward Municipal Services District. This program is a collaboration between T-Mobile, Broward County Libraries, Broward Public Schools and Career Source Broward. TMobile is donating 300 tablets that will be loaned to qualified Broward residents. The county will fund data costs. The program targets students who are eligible for the National School Lunch Program and unemployed residents earning a household income less than $36,273. If this program is successful, the county will look for future partnership opportunities through the competitive bid process.

Robert Weinroth, deputy mayor, Boca Raton

The Ways and Means Committee of the Florida House passed a proposed state constitutional amendment to create yet another $25,000 exemption for homestead properties for non-school property taxes. At first glance, residential property owners will likely applaud this effort and, if it does make onto the ballot, there’s little doubt the proposal will garner the required 60 percent to become a constitutional mandate. But the question to address is how do the municipalities, counties and special districts replace the lost revenues? Higher tax rates will be unavoidable, shifting additional tax burdens to commercial property owners and owners of non-homestead residences.