The top stories last week

Nan Rich, member, Broward County Commission

Excellent news from Tallahassee! The Senate Committee on Community Affairs unanimously passed a bipartisan bill that would prohibit legislators from sweeping money from the Sadowski State and Local Housing Trust Fund. This trust, funded by documentary stamp taxes, is collected solely for affordable housing. Unfortunately, lawmakers have made a habit of using this trust fund revenue to pay for projects wholly unrelated to affordable housing. SB874, sponsored by Senator Passidomo, has a tough road ahead to become law, but the more attention we call to the affordable housing crisis, the more progress we will make.

Peter Moore, president, Chen Moore and Associates

The selection of Miami as one of 20 finalists for the new campus for online retail giant Amazon is a true feather in the cap for South Florida’s understated technology sector. Not only was Miami named a finalist out of 238 submittals, but the fact that the nearest shortlisted cities are Atlanta, Nashville and Dallas give a real differentiator to Miami’s bid. While landing the new campus would be a huge win for South Florida, just being mentioned and participating in the process shines much needed light on the best and brightest.

Robert Weinroth, council member, Boca Raton

The new Brightline passenger trains, traveling on the FEC Railway tracks between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, are moving much faster than the freight that heretofore passed along that corridor. Fatalities mount as people unwisely bypass lowered gate arms attempting to beat oncoming trains. Immediate steps need to be taken to make the rail corridor safer while simultaneously completing the supplemental safety measures required, to allow local governments to file notices with the Federal Rail Administration to create quiet zones to allow for the quality of life benefits that a quiet zone will bring to those along the corridor.

Sandra Bernard-Bastien, chief communications officer, Children’s Services Council of Broward County

I was struck by the fierceness and bravery of the young women who confronted the former USA Gymnastics national team doctor, Larry Nasser, in court earlier this week. He has already admitted that he sexually abused them under the pretense of providing medical treatment. Three former Olympians, including Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas, were among the over 100 women who have come forward accusing him. In doing so, they refused to let their joy in life be dimmed. These women spoke up and out, encouraging others to let their voices be heard and to regain their ownership of self.

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

To say the least it’s embarrassing, insulting, and inflammatory when POTUS refers to Haiti and African nations as sewage repositories. Stated differently, it would have been received with resounding acclaim throughout the world. I’ve been to those areas repairing children’s birth defects and the people are wonderful! If he had emphasized that these caring, family-oriented people are forced to live in poverty-ridden squalor with minimal access to nutritious food and essentially no health care, the symbolism of struggling to survive in an unhealthy environment would have shown compassion and understanding. Quality systems use filters; POTUS needs one on his communications.

Beam Furr, mayor, Broward County

Last week, Broward, Palm Beach, MiamiDade, and Monroe counties wrote to formally request that the Southeast Florida Congressional Delegation include language in the fiscal year ’18 federal budget bill providing for authorization and 100 percent federal funding for an emergency preparedness study by the Army Corps of Engineers to reduce current and future coastal flood risk in southeast Florida. The purpose of this study is to identify and prioritize infrastructure improvements necessary for flood damage reduction, provide greater resilience from recurrent flooding and storms, and to protect and bolster the economic competitiveness and resilience of our region. Big challenges require big responses.

Earl Maucker, commissioner, Lighthouse Point; former editor, Sun Sentinel

The “Wheels Up, Guns Down” tradition on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was nothing more than an excuse for a bunch of hoodlums to create havoc on local roadways. In honor of the great civil rights leader we had dozens of arrests and a complete disregard for the safety of motorists and pedestrians. All this nonsense for a man who promoted peace throughout his lifetime. Whose brilliant idea was this yearly celebration? You have to believe that Martin Luther King Jr. himself would be disgusted along with the rest of us at this display of disrespect.

Eleanor Sobel, former member, Florida Senate

The look in the eyes of the 58 new young scholarship recipients when filmmaker and playwright Tyler Perry told his “rags to riches” story to 1,000 attendees at the 5,000 Role Models of Excellence on its 25 anniversary conveyed their future hopes and dreams. Yes, young black men who grow up without fathers can fight local drug dealers if they believe in themselves. The American Dream is for all people, not for a select few. We must remember what America stands for in light of the current political upheaval. Martin Luther King had a dream. The greatest democracy in the world will survive.