100 Central Florida
Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affecting you.
TOP STORIES FROM LAST WEEK
IAN’S CLEANUP, Lee Constantine, commissioner, Seminole County: As we try to get back to normal from the effects of Hurricane Ian, many are becoming frustrated. Since humor can sometimes alleviate stress, below are some of the offbeat requests/ concerns that our Emergency Management office received: “Can I drop off 300 pounds of dead fish to the landfill?” “I’m flooded, please deliver food and sandbags to me by boat.” “Come get an alligator in my front yard!” However, the most requests concern debris pickup. Please be patient. Private contractors have been hired to pick up approximately 1 million cubic yards of debris in unincorporated Seminole County alone. Like many, my debris is still at the curb.
GOP MOMENTUM, John L. Evans Jr., Vice chairman, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority: “Start every day off with a smile, and get it over with,” quipped W.C. Fields. The sentiment is appropriate for my liberal friends; they seem to have lost the gleam from their eyes, as if they know they’re about to stub their toe or eat a bad shrimp. The election looms, as inflation and crime numbers continue to burst. Even otherwise underdog elephant districts have the potential for upset. Look for gutsy Florida House candidate Bonnie Jackson, who has bulldog execution charisma, to surprise. Conservative smiles are imminent.
SANIBEL CAUSEWAY, Glenton Gilzean Jr., president/CEO, Central Florida Urban League: On Sept. 28, the world watched in shock as Hurricane Ian decimated Florida’s West Coast. Three weeks later, I was overjoyed to see that the recovery is well underway. The causeway connecting Sanibel Island to the mainland reopened, reestablishing this critical link between the barrier island and the rest of the state. While a lot of work lies ahead, this is a tremendous step forward for the residents of Sanibel Island and a sign of hope for all who still need to rebuild. I would like to congratulate everyone involved, from the governor’s office to the 100 crews that worked 24/7 on helping restore this lifeline.
CANNABIS AT CIRCLE K, J. Matthew Knight, physician, founder of Knight Dermatology:
In the first quarter of 2022, electric vehicle registrations increased a whopping 60%. That’s very bad news for gas stations. Circle K, with dozens of convenience stores in the Orlando area, thinks they have a solution. The company just signed a deal with Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries, one of America’s largest cannabis producers, to sell licensed marijuana at its Florida locations. According to the agreement, Green Thumb will lease space in existing Circle Ks, create an adjacent storefront, and do business under the brand “Rise Express.” Their customers? Over 700,000 Floridians with active medical marijuana cards. And I’m sure they’ll be lobbying for more.
IAN RECOVERY, A.J. Marsden, assistant professor, Beacon College: Residents in Flagler, Highlands, Manatee, Orange, Pinellas, and St. Johns counties are now allowed to take part in the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or D-SNAP. This program offers food assistance for those impacted by Hurricane Ian who were not receiving food benefits through SNAP. The D-SNAP program has helped more than 100,000 people so far and is expected to increase substantially as soon the program opens up to residents in Hillsborough, Lake, Osceola, Putnam, Seminole and Volusia counties. With Hurricane Ian causing more than $60 billion in property damage across Florida, this likely won’t be the only social program needed to help Floridians resume a normal life.
IAN CLAIMS, Muhammad Musri, president, Islamic Society of Central Florida: According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, over 386,000 claims for residential properties have been filed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, with estimates of damages in the tens of billions of dollars. Climate scientists cannot predict when and where the next major hurricane will hit, but they do predict that, with climate change, higher frequency and intensity of future hurricanes are guaranteed. Therefore, state government should plan better and drastically upgrade the building code for Florida homes, especially along the coasts. It is no longer acceptable to suffer such high loss of life and property with predictable hurricanes.
SUBSIDIZING HURRICANES, Larry Pino, attorney and entrepreneur: Florida has a significant interest in keeping real estate insurance affordable since real estate generates one-fifth of the state GDP. And, for obvious reasons, hurricane insurance underlies the political and economic structure of the state. The problem with keeping subsidized insurance low through state-owned Citizens Property Insurance, however, is that the economic costs are not collected upfront, but redistributed afterward. And since Citizens has premiums 30-40% lower than private carriers, the risk is that Citizens will continue to undermine private players — six have already gone insolvent this year alone — leaving the state holding the bag. It’s time to let market forces set hurricane premiums.
TIME TO VOTE, Carol Wick, CEO, Sharity: Early voting has opened in many states and mail-in ballots arrived in Florida. While voter turnout is traditionally low in midterm elections, record numbers are showing up at the polls in Georgia. It’s so critical that you not only vote, but encourage others. Too much is riding on the outcome to not take action and make your voice heard.