Looking ahead to this week

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

South Korea is struggling to attract attendees to the Winter Olympics largely due to the presence of its bellicose neighbor to the north. It’s yet another example of how North Korea negatively impacts human behavior — and at home as well. The North Korean border guard who escaped but was hit with gunfire by his supposed colleagues was found at surgery in Seoul to have hundreds of worms in his intestine. Their living conditions are horrible; human excrement is their only garden fertilizer. It’s a shame that our allies cannot force Kim Jong Un to initiate healthy environments for his citizens.

Susan Haynie, mayor, Boca Raton

Home rule. Our municipalities are under attack in Tallahassee. Forty-four years ago, the state Legislature adopted home rule, granting municipalities the governmental, corporate and proprietary powers that enable them to conduct municipal government from home, not Tallahassee. The repeal of home rule will weaken our constituents voices in the government process.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Archdiocese of Miami

Both “left” and “right” are being caught up in latest sexual improprieties scandal involving celebrities from world of entertainment and politics. And as they say, politics make strange bedfellows with both sides reacting in similar ways. On the left, secularist defenders of the sexual revolution — and its “sacrament” of abortion — gave Bill Clinton and other allies a pass for their transgressive behavior because of political expediency; and on the right, evangelical defenders of unborn children and traditional marriage give Judge Moore and his ilk likewise a pass, again to advance a political agenda. In meantime, culture becomes coarser for everyone.

Dave Kerner, member, Palm Beach County Commission

Vice Mayor Mack Bernard brought forth to the county commission an important concern regarding actions by the Solid Waste Authority staff related to our disparity study. Our intent is to ensure equitable treatment of women and minority owned business during the bidding of a half-billion dollars in waste collection contracts we will be awarding soon. Bernard, and many of us on the county commission, are concerned about senior staff independently retaining an expert witness to review the disparity study. As this issue is investigated, I will keep Palm Beach County informed of our findings.

Tim Ryan, member, Broward County Commission

Broward County commissioners will choose a new county mayor Tuesday. If tradition holds, the nine-member body will elevate current Vice Mayor Beam Furr to the one-year position. At the same time, Broward’s Charter Review Commission, which meets every 10 years to consider changes to the county charter, is debating whether Broward County should have an elected countywide mayor. With a population larger than 15 states, it’s time Broward had a single elected leader with a longer term and more substantive responsibilities. Hopefully, Broward voters will have the chance to decide if they want an elected mayor.

Barbara M. Sharief, mayor, Broward County

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Howard Simon, executive director, ACLU of Florida

Some of the most dangerous work of the Constitution Revision Commission occurs this week when the commission votes on removing separation of church and state from our state constitution. For 150 years, Florida, like most states, has had constitutional traditions barring the use of tax dollars for religious purposes. This “no aid” provision governing the allocation of funds from the treasury is the heart of religious liberty in America: contributions from parishioners support religious programs, tax dollars support non-religious programs. It has prevented divisive conflicts along religious lines. Repealing it will trigger a rush for tax support from every religious denomination.