South Florida 100 Forum September 18

Marlon A. Hill, partner, Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel

Last week: The battle of the scope of our First Amendment rights has fallen squarely onto the America’s velodrome of the NFL. We expect our athletes to entertain us with their extraordinary athletic prowess and provocative dance moves in the end zone, but we shudder when they express views or actions that may shock our visceral sentiments for symbols of our Republic. We can’t have the apple pie and the whip cream in one bite all the time. Our civic discourse has descended into any abyss of your way or no way. I respect the fact that Colin Kaepernick is standing for something to make America better even though the timing and place may give me pause. Let’s give each other some space to be Americans rather than deporting each other to a place where we would never wish to be.

Clarence V. McKee, president, McKee Communications

Last week: “The four “maturity challenged” Miami Dolphins who refused to honor 9/11 and kneeled during the National Anthem are pitiful and pathetic in their choice of social priorities! If they want to protest, they should be joining with community leaders and families to express outrage at the slaughter of 300 innocent black children in Miami by cowardly gangland predators in the past 10 years! As to their sense of history, I would be surprised if any of them know who Crispus Attucks, Frederick Douglass and the Tuskegee Airmen were or even how many World Trade Center Towers were hit on 9/11.

Howard Finkelstein, chief public defender, Broward County

Last week: Another black man was shot and killed by a cop. This time, it happened here. At least this time the sheriff asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to do the investigation. Finally there is recognition that the agency involved in a shooting cannot investigate one of its own. This decision shows that something is starting to sink in after all of these deaths. Maybe it’s just for public relations, but it’s a change and it’s good. An outside agency should always investigate a police shooting so we get the truth and not a cover-up.

Scott J. Israel, sheriff, Broward County

Last week: Though incidents around the nation have fractured the community’s trust in law enforcement, BSO’s commitment to transparency and accountability has been unmatched. To further that trust, I made the decision to have the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigate any deputy-involved shootings and report their findings directly to the state attorney’s office. I have full confidence in the unbiased capabilities of our own detectives, but I understand perception does matter. It’s important the public has confidence in the independence of shooting investigations. I want what you want: truth and justice. This action is the best way to ensure that occurs.

Harry Dressler, mayor, Tamarac

Last week: Wells Fargo Bank has been in the news for defrauding its customers. The bank incentivized branch level workers for opening up different accounts, such as credit accounts, without their customers’ knowledge. Once discovered, the bank fired lots of people but not the senior executives who put the plan in place. Why fire the corporate executives? Because they have a duty to properly supervise their workers and line managers. Don’t expect that to happen nor expect corporate officers to return huge bonuses paid on fraudulent activity. This is yet another example of a corporation losing its ethical compass.

John “Jack” P. Seiler, mayor, Fort Lauderdale

Last week:For the third straight year, the Fort Lauderdale commission unanimously passed the city’s budget. The 5-0 vote keeps our millage rate of 4.1193 per $1,000 of taxable value unchanged for the 10th consecutive fiscal year, meaning that we have held the line on property taxes for a decade. Today, our millage rate is the lowest among the 25 largest cities in Florida. We thank our budget advisory board and neighbors for their valuable input, and we pledge to continue to deliver quality, cost effective services that build community, enhance quality of life, and make Fort Lauderdale an outstanding place to live, work, play, visit, and raise a family.

Looking ahead: Please join us along downtown’s Riverwalk on Saturday, September 24th as we say goodbye to Summer and hello to Fall. The 2nd Annual Riverwalk Fall Festival takes place from noon – 4:00 pm at Esplanade Park (400 SW 2 Street) and features fun and excitement for the entire family. Highlights of the free event will include carnival themed games, activities, and contests; live music from two local “Schools of Rock”; many of your favorite vendors and food trucks, including Empanada Top, Jerk It Cuisine, Stash Box BBQ, Hot Dog Hound, and Monster Cone; plus many prizes and giveaways. For details, please visit www.goriverwalk.com.

Kathleen Cannon, president, United Way of Broward County

Last week: U.S. soccer star Abby Wambach recently revealed she struggled with prescription drug and alcohol addiction for years. Her DUI arrest in early 2016 was the first blemish to her public image and seemed incredibly uncharacteristic of the Olympic and World Cup champion. Behind the scenes, she was battling demons even those in her family knew nothing about. It’s just another reminder that we can often be clueless to the struggles people are facing behind closed doors. Kudos to Abby for taking responsibility for her actions and continuing to be a role model even in the wake of hard times.

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

Last week: Despite some positive outcomes, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) continues to disappoint hundreds of thousands of Americans whom it was supposed to help financially. Case in point: Not only have UnitedHealth, Humana, and Aetna withdrawn from many exchanges thus stranding their patients; now Dartmouth, whose researchers designed accountable care organizations, has opted out. The goal was for doctors and hospitals to band together to improve care and reduce costs, but Dartmouth was monetarily penalized by federal guidelines. Yet another example of a hastily approved, poorly reviewed piece of legislation that deferred to political expediency. It’s time for politicians and health strategists to remove the blinders and ear plugs.

Looking ahead: How much medical information should Americans have about political candidates? Both major presidential aspirants have been caught deceiving the public. And they are not alone. Grover Cleveland had surgery secretly on a yacht to hide his illness. William McKinley had severe pneumonia but his spokesperson said the press was spreading foolish stories. Woodrow Wilson suffered from syphilis, but the White House said he was just fatigued. Dwight Eisenhower had a heart attack but officially it was called an upset stomach. Franklin Roosevelt was always photographed in a manner to hide his wheelchair. Perfect health should not be a requirement for office, but the public deserves to know more.

Paul Castronovo, host, Paul & Young Ron Show

Last week: Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams goes into a restaurant, orders pasta and salad. It takes an hour and a half. The waitress got the order wrong multiple times, so what did he do? He left a .75 cent tip. He didn’t want to leave anything, but she never even came back to bring change. What did the waitress do? She posted his check on Twitter and called him cheap. What did he do? He called her out for being a bad server. What did the restaurant do? They fired her. Tip means: To Insure Prompt Service. Wanna get a nice tip? Bring me a drink once in a while.

Looking ahead: What are we doing wrong? There’s a village in Italy, Acciaroli, with over 300 people, all over 100 years old, and they’re free of disease. What are they are doing? I’ll get to that. Here’s what they’re not doing: Binging on Netflix, eating a box of Oreo’s, knocking back pop tarts and chugging soda. Nope. First of all they’re walking, eating fresh fish and vegetables grown in their gardens, plus olive oil, and lots of rosemary — basically the Mediterranean diet that we’ve heard so much about. Oh and one more thing, and I’m not making this up: lots of Sex. Now we know.

Hava Leipzig Holzhauer, regional director, Florida Anti-Defamation League

Last week: The Jewish community has felt vexed and confounded over the years that the United Nations has been generally ‘united’ only in one area – sharp anti-Israel criticism, and at times, anti-Semitism. With strong leadership from the United States, the U.N. has taken a beginning step to address anti-Semitism as part of its human rights agenda. Last week, it held its second all-day conference on anti-Semitism. ADL was there to provide expertise on stemming anti-Semitism around the world. While serious challenges remain with the U.N.’s actions and treatment of Israel, we hope this event will resonate with U.N. member states and lead to positive change.

Steven Geller, former member, Florida Senate

Looking ahead:Regardless of political affiliation, everyone needs water. Drinkable water in Florida is increasingly under attack. The (laughingly named) Florida Department of Environmental Protection has just permitted increased amounts of carcinogens and other poisons in Florida waters. Between toxic algae/blue green sludge caused by phosphorus and nitrogen, deep well injection of unspecified materials, possible fracking, oil drilling in the Everglades, salt water intrusion into the aquifers caused partly by rising sea levels, and other issues, Florida is at serious risk of running out of safe potable water. Government needs to pay increased attention to this growing problem.

Ted Deutch, member, U.S. House of Representatives

Last week: On Wednesday, I was honored to attend the signing of a new ten-year U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement will ensure our ally has the strategic capabilities and qualitative military edge to protect itself from any and all threats. This deal bolsters our already-deep security cooperation and friendship and serves as a message to the world that the U.S. and Israel stand unwaveringly together. As U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice made clear before signing this historic agreement, “The United States will always be there for Israel – today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

Looking ahead: Fifty-one years after the Voting Rights Act, Americans across the country are still fighting to protect their access to the ballot box. Yet, in the last presidential election, 79 million eligible voters never even registered. September is National Voter Registration Month, and I urge every American to honor those who have fought and are still fighting for civil rights by ensuring that their votes are counted and voices are heard on election night. Contact your county supervisor of elections for information, deadlines, and registration applications.

Dan Daley, Vice Mayor, Coral Springs

Looking ahead: I ran along the National Mall in Washington D.C. Wednesday morning and as I passed several monuments, I couldn’t help but feel extremely patriotic. It dawned on me that given the 24-hour news cycle, social media, and a polarizing and divisive political climate, sometimes we take the great things about our country for granted. The American people, like all people, are not without their faults. But we are strong, independent, resilient, competitive, and fearless. To top it off, we have some of the biggest hearts, filled with compassion and support for our neighbors, at home and abroad. Rather than criticize and condemn one another, we should be talking about working together to solve our problems. Take pride in yourself; take pride in your community; and, most of all take pride in your country.

Sean Guerin, CEO, Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Last week: Has anyone noticed the exodus of females from FOX News? Granted the much-publicized lawsuit by Gretchen Carlson for sexual-harassment resulted in the termination of Roger Ailes, but other faces have disappeared such as Andrea Tanterros also claiming sexual harassment. Long running legal analyst Greta Van Susteren abruptly resigned, and political pundit Kirsten Powers was recently signed by CNN. Bill O’Reilly was off the air for up to two weeks and came back the day of the Carlson settlement. Coincidence? With MSNBC and CNN in the Democratic camp there is a need for a counterbalance in the media. Get your act together FOX News.

Looking ahead: Are Colin Kaepernick’s actions accomplishing anything positive? It appears that in a team sport when only certain individuals participate in a personal crusade it has a divisive effect on the organization as a whole. As far as the public goes it would seem that positions on both sides of the black lives matter issue only harden and become more emotional. No doubt professional athletes have a great platform in which to contribute to social change but how they do it can perhaps do more harm than good.

Michael De Lucca, president, Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc.

Last week: Zika cases in South Florida have continued to grow. According o the DOH there are approximately 771 Zika cases in Florida, including 64 that were not traveled related. All county health departments are encouraging pregnant women to take a free Zika risk assessment. It is imperative that women get tested for the Zika virus as this disease can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus causing birth defects. Residents and visitors to the state of Florida should be using repellents when outdoors to deter mosquitoes. For more information, please call the Zika Virus Information Hotline at 1-855-622-6735.

Looking ahead: Take charge of your health insurance options and make the choice yourself. No matter what coverage you have, you could be one of the hundred thousand people impacted by the change in Florida. Look out for important information through the mail from your current insurance company and the Federal Government. To prepare for Open Enrollment starting November 1st, all consumers who have enrolled through the Marketplace will be mailed a redetermination letter very soon. In all cases, you should prepare to log in to your accounts and review what plan will work best for you.

Eleanor Sobel, member, Florida Senate

Last week: Inmates in Florida have wreaked havoc at five prisons this week, suggesting a need for meaningful reform. Holmes, Gulf Annex, Mayo, Jackson, and Columbia Correctional facilities all saw major disturbances. In Holmes, a serious riot occurred during which 400 inmates destroyed several housing units. And Columbia, a prison long known to be plagued by gang violence, is still in lockdown as of Tuesday. Privatization of our prisons is part of the problem here. Inmates aren’t commodities to be warehoused and profited from. Instead, rehabilitation should be the focus. Quality prisons lead to quality outcomes for both inmates and society.

Looking ahead: Governor Scott will get his first shot at selecting a Florida Supreme Court Justice following the retirement of Justice Perry. Scott must now choose a replacement Justice from three to six names submitted by the Florida’s Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC). On the bench since 2009, Justice Perry has ruled with fairness and distinction. We all know the JNC and Governor Scott will select a conservative, but what remains unclear is whether they will choose a rational, measured jurist or a political ideologue who will decide cases on strictly partisan grounds. Florida deserves the former rather than the latter.

Tim Ryan, member, Broward County Commission

Last week: Broward County ranks among Florida’s leading counties in addressing minor juvenile crime by issuing civil citations instead of making arrests, according to a new study. Civil citations were used in 68 percent of Broward’s eligible juvenile cases of non-violent misdemeanors – third only to Miami-Dade and Pinellas counties. That’s good news because civil citation cases have lower recidivism rates and are less costly than arrests — and they don’t leave young people with criminal records for minor offenses. Hopefully, Broward’s law enforcement agencies will continue to expand the use of civil citations for juvenile misdemeanors for the benefit of everyone involved.

Looking ahead: Floridians will have a new Florida Supreme Court justice next year, with Justice James Perry announcing his retirement Dec. 30. Perry turned 70 this year – the mandatory retirement age for Florida judges. A civil rights pioneer in many ways, Perry was the fourth African-American justice to serve on the state’s highest court. Florida’s governor will likely use his first Supreme Court appointment to attempt to shift the balance of the moderate court, which has been a counterbalance to his and the Republican-led legislature’s conservative agenda. Hopefully, though, the governor will recognize the importance of ensuring the court reflects Florida’s diversity.

Joshua Thifault, Advancement Director, Turning Point USA

Last week: Hillary Clinton sits squarely in the hot seat. While attacking Trump makes sense, attacking his voters does not. Washington D.C. has betrayed millions of hard-working Americans. Corrupt tax policy builds up the elite, and tears down average Americans. Many of these forgotten citizens support Donald Trump. Calling them “a basket of deplorables” means more than a temporary hit in the polls. It means a deviation from the “Stronger Together” message. For Clinton to regain her commanding lead, she must return to a message of unity.

Frank Ortis, mayor, Pembroke Pines

Last week: I just returned from a Florida League of Cities Fast Fly-in, a federal advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., where we met with Florida congressional delegates to discuss key issues affecting our cities. We again discussed closing the online sales tax loophole that creates an unfair advantage to brick-and-mortar shops. Billions of dollars are lost each year by allowing a tax-free platform for online sellers and out-of-state catalogs. I agree with draft legislation that allows a seller’s state to choose what goods will be taxed, and the buyer’s state controls the tax rate. Unfair disadvantages don’t serve anyone. This needs to change.

Looking ahead: Uber just deployed 14 self-driving cars onto Pittsburgh’s streets in an experiment to introduce self-driving technology to passengers. They’ve experienced a few bumps so far, but as with any new challenge, they are learning and moving forward. Uber and other companies are advocating this new self-driving technology as a solution to safer roads and less congested streets, less air pollution and increased access to transportation. It’s a grand vision, and a future filled will autonomous cars is still a long way off, but I have a feeling that this will be a natural occurrence for our kids and grandkids.

Bob Tucker, Director, Corporate Affairs, ADT

Last week: It was a shocking photo. Released last week, it showed an Ohio couple passed out in their car with a sad-looking child in the back seat. Authorities say it was a drug overdose and they wanted the graphic photo to be a wake-up call. In South Florida, we have our own epidemic. Every three hours, someone in Palm Beach or Broward Counties suffers an opiate overdose. And on average, two people in those counties die from an overdose each day. It’s going to take more public awareness and stronger law enforcement to stop this growing crisis which destroys lives.

Looking ahead: I just returned from a big security convention in Orlando where veteran journalist Ted Koppel keynoted a speech on America’s vulnerability to a cyber attack on one of its three electric power grids. Koppel painted a grim picture of how millions would suffer for weeks without running water, refrigeration and light. He predicts chaos and describes how woefully unprepared the federal government is for such a likely disaster. Koppel is calling for a national discussion and has written a new book called “Lights Out.”

Kathy Koch, president, Ambit Advertising and Public Relations

Last week: Last year, the United States was the largest source of global health financing, funding $13.1 billion (36 percent) of all development assistance for health. Here in the United States, with a Zika epidemic threatening to spread throughout South Florida and the nation, our legislators are unable to agree on a bill that would provide funding for Zika research and prevention right here at home. It is high time that our elected officials put aside their agendas and stop playing politics. As one of the most developed countries in the world, we need immediate action and funding to keep our own population healthy.

Jordana Jarjura, General Counsel, Gulf Building

Last week: We can learn from Columbus, Ohio, which has assembled $140 million to become a “Smart City” with a fully integrated, forward-looking transportation network and companies like AT&T, Google, and Amazon on board. The winner of DOT’s Smart City Challenge, Columbus gets up to $50 million — supplementing funds already gathered from public private partnerships — to completely reshape its transportation system, bridging the gap between rich and poor, old and young. We can do the same. Together, business and civic leaders can develop similar plans to fit our needs. Columbus, with half the population of Broward, has big plans. We should, too.

Daniel Cane, President and CEO, Modernizing Medicine

Last week: Being a tech guy, I’m pretty intrigued that Uber debuted self-driving cars in Pittsburgh. It’s truly the start of a new era in transportation. We can simultaneously improve safety, reduce congestion, save energy and provide unparalleled access for everyone. It’s not going to be the easiest transition we ever make, but we’re already beginning.

Looking ahead: At last Thursday’s Central Palm Beach County Chamber’s Economic Forum, I had the honor of announcing with Palm Beach State College President Ava Parker that Modernizing Medicine and PBSC plan to create an innovative training hub at the College’s new Loxahatchee Groves campus for students preparing for health information technology careers and medical professionals learning to use EHR systems. In this scenario, everyone wins: Modernizing Medicine can hire incredible local talent, doctors gain trained employees, the College will gain an advanced training lab and mock clinic and most importantly the students will be well-prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.

Anthony Abbate, Florida Atlantic University, Associate Provost, Broward

Last week: Uber introduced self driving cars to its network in Pittsburgh this week and Boston’s mayor expressed his city’s interest in becoming another testing site. As much promise this technology might hold for future cities, self-driving cars are still in their infancy. One wonders how this concept will fare in South Florida where the rules of the road are frequently flaunted by cars, bikes, and pedestrians alike. We can choose to build a culture of urban transportation or continue an unsustainable model of sprawl. Autonomous vehicle technology is not a panacea, nor is it the solution to our transportation problems.

Looking ahead: Florida might benefit from North Carolina’s loss of the Atlantic Coast Conference neutral-site championship games. We will find out soon if Orlando will host the games — and that would be fitting. But football isn’t the only sport the ACC has included in the ban on North Carolina after enacting a law that limits protections of its LGBTQ community. That list includes baseball, tennis, golf, women’s soccer, basketball, swimming and diving. Legislation based on narrowly prescribed values might feel righteous to those who hold strong beliefs, but in a pluralistic and free society they increasingly seem destined to failure.

Katie Edwards, member, Florida House of Representatives

Looking ahead: Cities across South Florida continue to express their frustration over their inability to regulate sober homes in residential neighborhoods. The problem isn’t going away, and many feel their hands are tied while few understand the need for safe post treatment environments for people with substance abuse addictions. Efforts by the state for the voluntary certification and credentialing of sober homes are hitting walls since funds weren’t provided to inspect and certify those who want to be ethical and good neighbors.

Peter Moore, President, Chen Moore and Associates

Last week: Last week, I read a piece by Lawrence Summers which practically begs the next administration to make infrastructure spending a priority. Besides the obvious benefits, there is a compelling case that infrastructure investments pay for themselves by expanding the economy and increasing the tax base. The McKinsey Global Institute has estimated a 20 percent rate of return on infrastructure projects. Being incredibly pessimistic, if the return is only 6 percent and the government collects about 25 cents on every dollar of GDP, the government will earn 1.5?percent on investments. This far exceeds the real cost of borrowing over 30 years.

Looking ahead: Over the weekend, Class 35 of the Leadership Broward Foundation’s flagship program, Leadership Broward, held its opening retreat. The nearly 60 professionals in this group are a great example of Broward County’s diversity. Over the coming ten months, the class will be given the opportunity to develop a wealth of knowledge about Broward County, to build a valuable contact network, to learn facilitative leadership skills and to experience the feeling of making a positive difference in our community through a team community project. I look for to watching the Class and the community grow as a result of their efforts.

Marty Kiar, commissioner, Broward County

Last week: Many people are arrested and their lives ruined because they are caught with a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. The Broward Commission previously passed a law giving law enforcement the discretion to issue a civil citation in lieu of a criminal arrest for misdemeanor pot possession. With the support of Sheriff Israel, the county’s civil citation program is now being utilized by the Broward Sheriff’s Office. In August, civil citations were issued to eleven people ranging from 18-34 years of age, potentially providing them with opportunities in life that would have been denied to them had they been arrested.

Looking ahead: Broward County is combating the spread of the Zika virus by aerial larvicide spraying. Aerial larviciding is an effective control strategy because the spraying targets larvae in the breeding habitat before they can mature into adult mosquitoes and disperse. The mixture being sprayed is called VectoBac WDG mosquito larvicide, which is an organic product not harmful to humans, pets, bees, or environmentally sensitive areas. For more information on cities that have been sprayed and when updated, the dates and times of where future spraying will take place, please visit Broward.org/zapzika

Rabbi Sheldon Harr, Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El

Last week: The biblical book of Ecclesiastes notes that there is a time and place for everything. The implication is that the adjective “proper” before “time and place” is what is necessary. Disrespecting our flag and national anthem by multi-millionaire NFL players was simply inappropriate. That does not mean to imply there are not problems and challenges in the matter of race. I do, however, affirm that there is even and also a proper time and place for free speech demonstrations.

Chuck Shaw, chairman, Palm Beach County School Board

Last week: The memory of 9/11 will be with us forever. I remember the day and all that went on. The lives lost and the heroic efforts of firefighters, police officers and the public who gave their lives for others. Frankly, I am disappointed with some pro athletes who have taken such petty and insensitive actions recently. It is interesting that they understand their right to do this but miss the big picture. In some cases it looks like overpaid, spoiled, benchwarmers who can be in the public eye, sit the bench, underperform and collect huge paychecks. Why not work together and solve our problems.

Looking ahead: Campaign ads will be starting again and I dread it. None are accurate, all are negative, and most definitely self serving. I think the next 60 days will likely show more of what we are doing wrong than anything beneficial to our people. All sides are to blame for the pettiness, incompetence and failure to show leadership. We are experiencing this nation’s failure to find statesmen to serve . We only have power hungry, egotistical and unethical politicians. It will be nice when the phase is over and return to the values that made us so great.

Mike Ryan, mayor, Sunrise

Last week: The first Mayors’ Chess Challenges is hosted by Town of Davie and Mayor Paul. Throughout the remainder of the school year, 14 other Mayors will host this free event to celebrate the power of scholastic and community chess. The 42nd Chess Olympiad just finished. Out of 175 national teams competing, USA men did what hasn’t been done in 30 years and only the third time in 90 years of this world competition — they won Gold. A Sunrise resident was a member of the Gold-winning national team. We have much to celebrate in Broward as chess continues to grow.

Looking ahead: Sawgrass Mills Mall opened the first of two additional parking garages, making visiting much easier. That mall is an economic powerhouse for our region, drawing visitors in numbers that rival Disney. The number of jobs at the mall makes that property the single biggest job center in Broward County. Sales taxes generated by the Mall are divided as follows: 91.2 percent to the state, the remainder substantially goes to the county, with the left over pennies divided amongst municipalities based upon population — not where the dollars were generated. Therefore, this mall generates benefits for every municipality.

Gregory Stuart, executive director, Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization

Looking ahead: Besides the high-profile Presidential and Senate elections in November, Broward voters will have the opportunity to vote on a one penny sales tax increase to pay for transportation and infrastructure projects in our County. The Broward MPO, Broward County Government, and the 31 municipalities in Broward are working together to educate the public. An interactive map has been developed showing what projects will be built in your neighborhood using surtax money. To view that map, and for more information on the sales tax initiative, visit www.apennyatwork.com

Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, VP/community relations, Nova Southeastern

Last week: Thursday the Governor was in town to announce the expansion and relocation of Hotwire Communications to Fort Lauderdale. Their new headquarters is located in the “uptown downtown” area of Fort Lauderdale on Cypress Creek. They estimate hiring 375 high skills high wage positions and they are already employ almost 650. The company is founded on exceptional customer service and innovative technology. Enterprise Florida, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, and the City of Fort Lauderdale all helped recruit them. I think they are going to be terrific corporate citizens too. Welcome Hotwire.

Tom Shea, president, Right Management

Last week: South Florida’s record-breaking tourism underlines the successful marketing efforts of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, whose team won four awards at the Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Orlando. Imagine shivering your way on foot along a wintry Chicago street when a live, interactive broadcast from a sunny Broward beach comes on in a bus shelter, inviting you to visit. Great stuff. Discover the Palm Beaches and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County were big winners too, netting a combined total of four awards.

Looking ahead: When our community unites, the effect is powerful. In the latest example, online voting for Fort Lauderdale won JetBlue Airways’ Soar with Reading donation of 100,000 books for young readers, to be available next summer for children in need. Our city’s supporters beat New York, Boston and Long Beach, California for the prize. Special thanks to JetBlue, the most active carrier at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, and Random House Children’s Books for this investment in South Florida’s future.

Richard Berkowitz, CEO, Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors and Accountants

Last week: In the Broward Health audit, the accounting firm is responsible for rendering an opinion that the financial statements fairly present the organization’s financial position. When the CPA firm renders its opinion, it is liable for the consequences if there is a problem. It is the auditor, and not the organization being audited, that determines what the CPA firm has to review in order to render its audit opinion. When Broward Health limited the firm’s scope of information it could review, the auditor had no choice but to resign. The board has assured that Broward Health will not have audited financial statements by the December 1 deadline.

Howard Simon, executive director, ACLU of Florida

Last week: A new study measuring the use of civil citations in Florida, as an alternative to arresting juveniles for minor, non-violent offenses, documents that issuing juvenile civil citations saves taxpayer’s money and increases public safety. Kids who get a civil citation have almost half the recidivism rate as those who are arrested and forced through the criminal justice system. That is, using arrests rather than a civil citation produces more reoffenders. But most importantly, issuing a civil citation rather than arresting children for youthful misbehavior doesn’t ruin a kid’s life and future prospects for employment and education – for making a mistake.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Archdiocese of Miami

Last week: The abortion advocacy organization deceptively called “Catholics for Choice” (CFC) placed full-page ads in the September 12 editions of The Miami Herald & el Nuevo Herald. CFC is not a Catholic organization, has no membership, and does not speak for the Catholic Church. Nor could any well-formed or well informed Catholic support its goals. It’s funded by powerful and wealthy private foundations that promote abortion. What CFC advocates is the opposite of Catholic teaching on the dignity and life of the human person– and actually attacks its foundation, namely the protection of human life from conception to natural death.

Looking ahead: Every human being — just because he or she is a human being — has a right to live in conditions worthy of human life. When people do not find conditions necessary for human flourishing where they are they will seek or will be forced to seek them elsewhere. While “”irregular”” migration presents problems to host countries, the migrants themselves are not “problems”. No human being should be regarded by another human being as just a problem. To do so results in blaming the victims. Such a reductive way of thinking dehumanizes the migrants who like us are children of God.

Robert Weinroth, Deputy Mayor, Boca Raton

Last week: As a result of the ongoing gridlock, voters don’t think much of Congress (although the Members they elect generally receive higher favorability ratings than the body as a whole). A recent Rasmussen poll found only 11 percent of likely voters think Congress is doing a good or excellent job. Perhaps if our “do-nothing” Congress could focus on addressing the Zika virus or the situation faced by communities impacted by Lake Okeechobee emergency water releases or, perhaps, pass a budget for the fiscal year commencing October 1st, rather than another continuing resolution, voters might see more value to all Members of Congress.

Looking ahead: Boca Raton will soon boast a Customs and Border Protection facility for pilots and mariners. Once operational, pilots returning from international destinations will no longer be required to land at Palm Beach International or Fort Lauderdale Executive airport to clear immigration and customs. For affected pilots, the extra landing and takeoff is inconvenient and the resulting short hop from PBI or FXE to Boca Raton will be flown at a lower altitude than if they flew direct from its international point of origin. The new CBP facility will allow Boca Raton to serve as another international gateway to South Florida.

Bernie Fernandez Jr., M.D., CEO, Baptist Health Medical Group

Last week: Measurements of hospital quality are readily available, with websites like HospitalCompare.gov revealing what Medicare considers a quality provider. But, do patients really use this information to choose their preferred hospital? More likely, they rely on their doctors’ opinions and experiences of their family members and friends to choose a hospital. That’s why we focus a great deal on patient experiences and patient satisfaction. If doctors, nurses and caregivers have the resources they need to provide the best care, patients and their family members perceive quality. When clinical and service excellence combine, quality care is achieved.

Joy Cooper, mayor, Hallandale Beach

Last week: As cities around our state conclude hearings to adopt their millage rates and budgets for the upcoming year here is another perspective to consider. Available at a city near you: full time security, around the clock on call emergency medical services, fresh safe water, service for kitchen and bathroom amenities, flood and fire protection, trash pick-up, landscaping service, recreational activities for all ages and seamless access to surrounding cities and attractions — all these services for only $3 to $15 dollars a day depending on your desired location and size of your accommodations.

Walter G. “Skip” Campbell, Jr., mayor, Coral Springs; former member, Florida Senate

Last week: Cities in South Florida have declared war on mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus. But with this war comes questions about the weapons being used. Are they more harmful to us than the disease? I have been asked if they will kill our bee population? In Broward County, we are using preventive aerial spraying for mosquito larvae. We have chosen to use a mosquito larvicide known As BTI, which is not harmful to humans, pets or the environment. But the real line of defense are you the residents. Be sure to drain standing water and cover up.

Ian S. Seitel, attorney, Ian Seitel P.A.

Looking ahead: While Donald Trump has given us hundreds of reasons why he would be a disaster as president, here’s one that should convince anyone in South Florida who is still on the fence. Trump has called global warming a “hoax that was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing noncompetitive.” Tell that to Fort Lauderdale residents who have repeatedly seen the tides inundate whole streets and neighborhoods. Climate change is no joke, Donald Trump is.

Chip LaMarca, member, Broward County Commission

Last week: This week JetBlue announced the City of Fort Lauderdale as the winning city of their Soar with Reading program, receiving 65% of the votes among three other cities in the nation. The Soar with Reading program encourages children’s imaginations to take flight through reading and gives new books to children in need. JetBlue will be donating 100,000 children’s books to the Fort Lauderdale community. It is great to see organizations like JetBlue that is significantly growing in the Fort Lauderdale Airport, also giving back to our community. Additionally, I’ve been working with our FLL director to bring Broward County Libraries into our airport.

Looking ahead: Each year Broward County’s coastal cities must prepare to be impacted by flooding from high tide events. These high tide events, often time, occur during the fall (August-November) with the peak usually occurring with the King Tide (Highest tide of year) in October. This year’s King Tides are predicted to occur September 16-21; October 14-21; November 12-18; and December 12-16. Residents are advised to be cautious during the upcoming King Tides, from September to December 2016.

Ina Lee, president Travelhost Elite of Greater Fort Lauderdale

Last week: Our South Florida educational institutions received top marks this week. Broward College for the second time was selected as one of the 10 finalists for the prestigious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.The hospitality management program at FIU ranked 21 and FAU’s ranked 30 in Best Schools Magazine.

Looking ahead: There has been a boom in new hotels being built and in the planning stages for downtown Fort Lauderdale If all the hotels are built, there will be an increase in 1,400 guest rooms to the already existing 400. This trend signals the evolving nature of our destination.