Florida editorial roundup

Recent editorials from Florida newspapers:

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Nov. 16

Tampa Bay Times on state support of schools:

This fall voters around the state passed 18 local tax referendums for schools, a reaffirmation that Floridians value public education and are willing to pay for it. But the willingness by voters to invest stands in stark contrast to the miserly Florida Legislature, which placed on the ballot a constitutional amendment that will make it even harder for state lawmakers to raise taxes and virtually ensures state school funding will never significantly increase. This is a cost shift from the state to local communities, and it threatens the mission of providing high-quality, equitable public education throughout Florida.

The referendums that passed this year include countywide sales tax increases, which can be used for capital costs such as roof repairs or air conditioning maintenance. That’s where the bulk of the new 10-year, half-cent sales tax in Hillsborough will go. Other counties enacted an additional property tax, which can pay for operational expenses such as teacher pay and the state’s new school safety requirements. Pinellas has a half-mill property tax, last renewed in 2016, that enhances arts programs and helps retain teachers.

The local money is an unequivocal boost for districts that are forced to stretch their dollars further every year. The Legislature has been steering more and more money to charter schools, while providing paltry increases in unrestricted per-student funding for traditional public schools, slashing spending on construction and maintenance and imposing more mandates such as school security. And for the last three years, the state has not allowed districts to collect any additional local property tax revenue generated by rising real estate values. At the same time, millions in potential tax dollars that could have gone to pay for public education are being diverted to voucher-like programs that pay for tuition at private schools.

So in Tallahassee, legislators starve public schools of money, steer resources to charters and private schools and then force the takeover of public schools that are under-performing. It’s a cynical, intentional dismantling of a statewide, fairly funded public school system under the guise of promoting school choice and accountability.

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Online: http://www.tampabay.com/

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Nov. 21

The Florida Times-Union on doctors’ ability to listen to patients:

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A Johns Hopkins study of nearly 600,000 heart patients admitted to emergency rooms in Florida revealed that female physicians had the most success in preventing death; meanwhile, women treated by male doctors were least likely to survive.

The Johns Hopkins findings came on the heels of an earlier Harvard study of more than 1.5 million hospitalized Medicare patients: it found that when patients were treated by female doctors, they were less likely to die or be readmitted.

So what’s the difference between male and female doctors?

Listening.

In one study, female doctors waited three minutes before interrupting a patient; male doctors, meanwhile, waited just 47 seconds.

Researchers have stressed that these findings aren’t meant to disparage male doctors; the goal is to simply empower patients to find doctors who are willing to listen to them.

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On a related matter, African-American men who see African-American doctors are more likely to follow advice about prevention and healthy lifestyles.

In a study of 702 black men in Oakland, Calif., 63 percent of black men assigned to a black doctor agreed to diabetes screening (compared to 43 percent of those assigned to white or Asian doctors).

So what is going on between black doctors and black patients?

The comments from patients suggested they had stronger personal and emotional connections with doctors who were also African-American.

Once again it’s important to stress what the study findings don’t suggest: they don’t suggest that only African-American doctors are able to make personal and emotional connections with black patients.

It’s all about having physicians, regardless of their race or background, who are willing to listen to patients - and willing to listen with a sense of empathy that transcends any cultural differences.

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Online: https://www.jacksonville.com/

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Nov. 19

Naples Daily News on tasks newly elected leaders should prioritize:

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ELECTION REFORM

As campaign season began, this wasn’t on anyone’s radar. Following the close, contentious, mistake-marred elections for U.S. Senate, governor and a state Cabinet seat, it should be. For example:

- Should top-of-the-ballot design become uniform statewide? There’s a question whether the outcome of a major Florida race tipped on a questionable design in Broward County. It’s now left up to elections offices in each of the 67 counties to design a blended statewide and local ballot.

- The state’s Republican and Democratic parties are essentially evenly split in voter registration numbers. Growing is the percentage of voters, including younger generations, not registering with either party. That could mean more close elections and recounts. To help restore faith in Florida elections, state and local leaders should ensure that reliable equipment is in place, not aged counting machines that overheat.

- Can mail-ballot return become more voter-friendly? Which counties counted only ballots received before the polls closed Nov. 6 and which accepted postmarked ones? Undecided voters who wait are better served by increasing the number of secure drop-off spots for ballots rather than adhering to the recommendation to mail at least a week before Election Day.

- Is Florida’s closed primary election system effective? A contrived write-in candidate who closes a primary election to one party disenfranchises too many voters and unnecessarily lengthens the November ballot. An example is the Southwest Florida state attorney’s race that was essentially decided by Republicans in August. Unaffiliated voters and Democrats were excluded from an important decision.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Environmental issues surfaced:

- Identifying ways to curtail red tide and toxic algae was atop almost every candidate’s platform. All must be held accountable for campaign promises. The state has a uniform fertilizer law but we’d suggest home rule is preferable to address runoff because all Florida communities don’t have the same exposure for waterways, lakes, bays and waterfront. Naples GOP state Sen. Kathleen Passidomo’s proposal to increase conversion of septic tanks to sewer systems, now also a legislative priority of Collier commissioners, must be addressed.

- 69 percent of voters supported an amendment against offshore drilling within Florida’s territorial waters. That should reinforce to Republican U.S. Sen.-elect Rick Scott, Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis, plus re-elected U.S. Reps. Francis Rooney and Mario Diaz-Balart and state legislators to engage in a full press for a permanent ban of exploration in federal waters offshore Florida.

- Congress must maintain its recent momentum to invest promised dollars in Everglades restoration.

ADDITIONALLY

Other key issues to revisit:

- The apparent election of Democrat Nikki Fried as state agriculture commissioner is further evidence Floridians aren’t satisfied with what the Legislature has done to implement medical marijuana. Re-elected state Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, was an architect of this legislation and as the new chairman of House Health and Human Services should re-examine this.

- Florida has been hit by major hurricanes two successive seasons. Has adequate progress been made in preparation, response and recovery? As a Miami lawmaker, now Lt. Gov.-elect Jeannette Nunez earned acclaim for leading a committee examining this after Irma. That could make her a logical choice to lead this analysis before next hurricane season.

Online: https://www.naplesnews.com/