The top stories last week

Cindy Arenberg Seltzer, president, Children’s Services Council of Broward County

Hurricane Irma shone a spotlight on three important truths that are often forgotten when life is calm for the majority. 1. Efficient and effective government is vitally important to the well-being of its citizenry — especially in times of crisis. 2. The most vulnerable are always hardest hit in times of crisis. 3. For the vulnerable, the crisis lasts long after the cameras disappear. This is why it is so important for governments to build contingency funds when times are good, why affordable housing needs to be structurally sound, and why we must be prepared to support our residents for the long haul.

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

The island of Barbuda was almost entirely destroyed by Hurricane Irma. All of its residents were forced to relocate, leaving it empty for the first time in 300 years. But government leaders are determined to rebuild. Rather than denying climate change, the Antiguan Barbudan ambassador described to me their plans to make Barbuda more resilient to the growing threats of climate change, like intensified storms and rising sea levels. Florida must plan ahead; we cannot wait for another devastating natural disaster. We must act now to prepare our cities and protect our populations from climate change’s deadly impacts.

Irela Bagué, president, Bagué Group

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma had disastrous impacts to the U.S. and the president has made sure that the states of Texas and Florida are very well supported by the federal government in response and in plans for rebuilding. Let’s hope that the same support will be provided to the survivors of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which have devastated the islands of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It should not matter that these are not official states; what should matter is that the people who live there are fellow Americans, too.

Gary Farmer, member, Florida Senate

Dear Gov. Scott, The deaths of vulnerable adults in a Hollywood Hills nursing home is about more than a lack adequate electrical generators. We must address this horrific situation because of inefficient oversight, lax legal protections, and an absence of sufficient penalties for nursing home administrators who put profits over resident safety. Requiring electrical generators is a good start, but we must do more. The time has come to revisit our state’s laws designed to protect those most in need of our support. I look forward to introducing comprehensive legislation and working with you to strengthen these necessary protections.

Frank Ortis, mayor, Pembroke Pines

I agree with Florida Sen. Bill Nelson’s efforts to have airlines limit flight costs for travelers trying to get out of the path of a hurricane. Fortunately, it looks like airlines are agreeing. Nelson’s letter to the CEOs of 10 major U.S. airlines, asking them to regular flight prices to areas likely to be impacted (in this case Hurricane Maria), is what should have been done a long time ago. I know many people who left for Hurricane Irma and paid astronomical prices to fly out. Hurricanes will continue. We need to look at every situation logically and rationally.

Perry Thurston, member, Florida Senate

The special election for state senate District 40 has become a textbook case of voter suppression. Many black voters in this South Florida district continue to struggle to recover from Hurricane Irma, and it’s hard to think about voting when your home or business lacks power. As chair of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, I and other black legislators have urged Gov. Rick Scott to postpone the election for two weeks. So far, no response. The governor still has time to do the right thing and give district voters a better chance to participate in this important election.

Steven Ronik, CEO, Henderson Behavioral Health

The Graham-Cassidy bill may go by a different name than previous efforts to reshape the health care system, but it maintains — and even worsens — the devastating provisions from those bills that led to a massive constituent outcry earlier this summer. It’s the same pig with different lipstick. Like past versions of the Senate health bill, the new legislation would result in catastrophic outcomes for the millions of Americans living with addiction or mental illness. It caps federal Medicaid spending at a rate designed to grow more slowly than inflation, shifting costs to states and forcing them into difficult decisions about which populations and services to cut.

Michael Dennis, M.D., chairman, Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine

Here we go again. I’ve written before about the difficulty in repealing/ replacing the Affordable Care Act when mostly politicians are involved in the process. Yes, premiums have jumped and insurance markets are unstable, but that can be corrected. The current Graham-Cassidy bill being considered eliminates requirements that people buy coverage, that large employers offer it, and redistributes federal money so some states get far less from a shrinking pot. It reduces support for lowerincome individuals. Millions would lose coverage. I would suggest other R words: Retreat and Rely upon input from health care professionals, major delivery systems, and the public.

Clarence V. McKee, president, McKee Communications

The countless acts of unselfishness of those who rushed to help victims in the aftermath of hurricanes Harvey and Irma deserve praise. They included members of the “Cajun Navy”; utility company crews from nearly 30 states; and, New York Police and Fire Department teams. None cared about the race, color, religion or politics of victims. In today’s vitriolic political atmosphere, many of these heroic volunteers would be considered “deplorables,” “racists” and “rednecks” by many progressives because they dared to be Trump supporters or Republicans. The victims couldn’t have cared less about their politics. Too bad that’s not the norm.