South Florida 100

Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affecting you.

THE TOP STORIES LAST WEEK

Marty Kiar, property appraiser, Broward County. Hurricane season begins June 1 and we all need to be prepared in the event we are struck by a storm. The Florida Legislature approved a hurricane sales tax holiday in this year’s budget. Florida will waive the sales tax on many hurricane preparedness supplies purchased through June 4. The exempted items include flashlights, radios, tarps, flexible waterproof sheeting, ground anchor systems, bungee cords, gas tanks, batteries, nonelectric coolers, portable generators and reusable ice packs. The Sun Sentinel has a helpful online tool at SunSentinel.com/MyStormPlan to help you determine what you need to purchase.

Michael Gottlieb, member, Florida House of Representatives. COVID-19 is not our biggest threat. Indifference is, it is defined as lack of interest, concern, or sympathy. We are so polarized, we have no interest in the opinions of others, little concern for them and less sympathy for their predicaments. Potentially facing a depression, with a great divide in our democracy and the strength of one political party is what enabled the genocide of World War II. Our strong racial divide and mounting religious animosity must be stopped. We must unite as the greatest country on Earth, to honor our strength as a great nation because we are stronger together.

Ina Lee, owner, Travelhost Elite of Greater Fort Lauderdale. Once again, the will of the voters of Florida are being trampled on as was the case with medical marijuana. Even though U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled it unconstitutional, Gov. DeSantis is appealing the voting rights issue that would allow ex-felons to vote regardless of whether they have paid legal financial obligations. Enough already. Let the people vote!

Eleanor Sobel, former member, Florida Senate. Why is anti-Semitism on the rise in Florida, a 37% increase since 2014? Is the belief by the Anti-Defamation League about the presence of swastikas on signs by “stay at home protestors” more a condemnation of governors’ stay-home orders than anti-Jewish sentiment? Who decides the origin of values? Do these protestors have memory problems or are they lacking historical knowledge of the swastika as an anti-Semitic symbol directly linked to Nazism? Memorial Day 2020 saw confederate flags and swastikas being waived by protestors. We are at war with a virus not with each other. We must condemn this bigotry.

Beam Furr, member, Broward County Commission. We face a record-high 14.7% unemployment rate with over 1.6 million unemployment claims in Florida. This recovery won’t be easy. During the Great Depression, our government created the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps. These programs employed millions of people, and led to the creation of bridges, waterworks, roads, and other projects that impacted American life for decades. Here in Broward, we have significant public work needs for transportation, the environment, solid waste, and more. We should be looking at how we can create a public jobs program right here to assist our residents while improving our county.

Robert Weinroth, member, Palm Beach County Commission. As South Florida continues to move cautiously forward with its relaxation of restrictions, necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative for elected leaders and health officials to have accurate data to monitor critical indicators. One important metric for measuring whether the virus is regaining strength is the rate of new infections. Free testing is allowing a broad population of residents to be screened. However, results are not received in a timely fashion, making contact tracing virtually useless. Health officials must have the tools to stem a new surge in infections. Otherwise, the progress we are making will be lost.

Howard Simon, retired executive director, ACLU of Florida. Because Floridians are so politically divided, almost evenly so, and because Florida is the key swing state, and because the electoral college math suggests that the President cannot be re-elected without winning Florida, this election season is likely to be contentious and ugly. For example, The New York Times reported that one organization will spend $20 million to send poll watchers throughout the country to challenge suspected ineligible voters. But you can avoid expected long lines and any conflicts, and protect your health, when you exercise your right to vote by submitting an application for a vote-bymail ballot.

Anna Fusco, president, Broward Teachers Union. Most of us are weary of sheltering at home and look forward to resuming activities that are the reasons we live here. When we consider the restored opportunities, we MUST continue the precautions we’ve been following. As a society, we have grown used to driving 75 in a 65 mph zone, but we can’t afford to be as cavalier about wearing a mask and maintaining social distance. We absolutely cannot reduce 6 feet to 5 feet (or less). To reduce personal risk and the chance of taking the virus home to our loved ones, we must always follow CDC guidelines. Stay safe.