TO PST ORIES FROM LAST WEEK

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

Kathleen Cannon,

president, United Way of Broward County. Major kudos and a huge thank you to the Broward County transit bus driver who saved many lives after a gunman fired 21 bullets aboard her bus. She drove the bus full of passengers to safety at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department — even driving against traffic on Broward Boulevard to get there. While two people tragically died and two others were injured in the shooting, the bus driver is a true example of grace under pressure, and I commend her for her bravery and quick thinking. She is a hero.

Jamie Cole, municipal attorney, various Broward County cities. This week, the Florida Supreme Court set oral argument in a lawsuit brought by 33 local governments and 70 local officials challenging a statute that deters them from enacting local firearm regulations for fear that they could be removed from office, be personally fined and expose their local government to damage claims. The local officials prevailed at the trial court on all three penalties, but an appellate court reversed as to the latter two. Now the Supreme Court will decide whether basic tenets of democracy — legislative and governmental function immunity — continue to exist at the local level in Florida.

Dan Flynn, vice president for research, Florida Atlantic University.

Genealogy is a popular hobby for many Americans. A study out of the University of Oxford shows humanity’s family tree going back 100,000 years! It compared the entire genome of over 3,600 people from 215 populations, including DNA isolated from ancient human bone fragments. The study, shown as a short video at Youtu.be/Cwj0DRUrKXw, demonstrates how people migrated across the globe and how we are all related through common genetic sequences. It indicates that we all originated from common ancestors who were from what is now the country of Sudan. To quote Sister Sledge, “We are Family.”

Dan Gropper,

The price of gasoline and diesel fuel continue reaching new highs, raising production costs and pushing consumer and producer prices higher across the U.S. economy. Why? Basic supply and demand. On the campaign trail, candidate Joe Biden promised to “end fossil fuels.” As president, he has done a lot to keep this promise. Biden signed executive orders to reverse Trump-era policies that promoted U.S. oil production and helped the U.S. become energy independent. Biden also put in place regulators who are raising U.S. fossil fuel production and usage costs. Higher gas prices are a feature, not a bug, of Biden’s policies.

dean, College of Business, Florida Atlantic University.

Chip LaMarca, member, Florida House of Representatives. The 2022 legislative session has officially come to a close! This year 3,735 bills were filed, 4,324 votes were taken, and

285 bills passed both chambers. We passed a historic $112.1 billion budget, including $8.9 billion in reserves. This year’s budget builds on last year’s priority to prepare Florida for a better tomorrow, with $1 billion to offset inflation on the state, $2.3 billion for Everglades restoration, $50 million for beach restoration, $362.7 million for affordable housing,

$82.2 million for historic, cultural/museum grants, and

$800 million for teacher/personnel salary raises. The Legislature has sent the budget to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature.

Kelly Skidmore, member, Florida House of Representatives. Rent and home prices across Florida are out of control. With rents through the roof and the price of a house out of reach for most Floridians, working families are barely making ends meet. Florida leads the nation in housing unaffordability, with over 56% of renters spending 30% or more of their income on housing. While Florida families struggle to find an affordable place to live, their state leaders are focusing their energy waging a culture war on individual freedoms. It’s time for leadership to quit playing politics and start addressing the real issues affecting Floridians. Our residents deserve better.

Michael Udine, mayor, Broward County. Can you spell coterie? Well seventh-grader Brody Santos of Saint Mark’s Episcopal School can. He was the winner of the Broward County Spelling Bee. His win means he will represent the county at the Scripps National Spelling Bee! Participants were the winners of their own school competitions and ranged from grades 1-8. The competition began with 49 participants until the final spelldown, when a winner was declared. I would like to wish Brody and his family the best of luck and great spelling as they take the hopes of Broward County to Washington and compete for the championship.

Mitch Ceasar, former chairman, Broward County Democratic Party. We as a nation are about to reach a historic crossroad, with the appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S Supreme Court. Her path included growing up in Miami and serving as a federal judge at the District and Appellate level. Her qualifications are superior. The questioning by some Republicans was only about personal media attention. The history centers on the fact that she will be the first Black female Supreme Court justice. She will be confirmed, and it is long overdue.