Forum Club and the Palm Beach County League by Mary Jane Range
Mary Jane Range, a League member, holds a personal membership to the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches. The Forum Club is Florida’s largest non-partisan political and public affairs organization. The Club has hosted a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices and a variety of thought leaders whose words and actions affect the world we live in. The club only accepts memberships from individuals, not companies or other organizations. Mary Jane frequently hosts a table for League members. If you would like to be on the list of League members to be invited to the events Mary Jane hosts please email her at MJrange@comcast.net.
You will then be on her email distribution to be notified of events. If you have previously been on Mary Jane’s list. please respond again, unfortunately the original list has been lost. For the last year the Forum Club events have been virtual but it is anticipated that the lunches will soon be held at the Kravis Center again.. Mary Jane’s cost for a table was $550, therefore each person attending paid $55.00. The per lunch price for the upcoming season is not yet known, it may be $55.00 or more.
Filibustered! Where do Voting Rights go from here? by the Voting Rights Coalition
Florida has passed and put into effect SB90 which restricts voting rights in lots of ways. Georgia has passed even more stringent cutbacks, Texas is poised to do so. There are 2 bills in Congress that could save voting rights, but there is stalemate, and no clear path forward. Read the New York Times article here.
Come to the Voting Rights Coalition meeting this Thursday July 1, 2 pm on Zoom and learn about the options and how your voice can make a difference.
We need your help! Contact our co-chairs for the Zoom link:
Nancy Cohen: (561) 842-2499 nancyecohen1@icloud.com
Kate Renchin: (262) 242-4144 kater0914@gmail.com
How Did Health Care Fare: The 2021-2022 State of Florida Budget
by the Healthcare Committee
The headline reads “Florida lawmakers pass record $101.5 billion budget.” In late spring and throughout 2020 there was worry over a state budget deficit in the billions of dollars. A quicker than expected economic recovery, aided by $16.5 billion in non-recurring federal stimulus funds (not included in the $101.5 billion) aided in alleviating cuts in several critical health care programs.
Florida TaxWatch reports that use of these non-recurring funds prevented cuts in hospital funding, as well as paying for the addition of one million Floridians to the Medicaid rolls during the pandemic. Finally, good news is the allocation of $239.8 million for Medicaid benefits for new mothers – a full 12 months instead of the current 60 days.
Other good news? The Florida Phoenix reported “Restricting abortion access fizzled in the 2021 Legislature.” And KidCare, including Healthy Start received full funding.
Bills that passed:
-SB348 passed (Medicare transportation bill)
-SB404 passed (Office of Minority Health and Health Equity)
-SB1024 passed (Increasing Access to Mental Health, tracking complaints)
-HB673 (Gail’s Law) Passed (will expedite rape kit testing by creating a database)
-SB590 Passed (School Safety requires parental notification of a Baker Act child).
-HB79 (Purple Alert) Passed (Alerts police and public when an adult with certain disabilities goes missing.)
You may find the full text and history of all bills at: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bills/2021
And the bad news? Medicaid expansion failed without a hearing. Kaiser Family Foundation (https://files.kff.org/attachment/fact-sheet-medicaid-expansion-FL) reports that 789,00 uninsured nonelderly, largely childless, adults would be eligible for Medicaid here in Florida. These are people who do not qualify for Affordable Care Act enrollment because they earn less than 138% of Federal poverty level, or $17,609. Six in ten are people of color.
With an expanded enrollment period authorized by President Biden in January, Affordable Care Act enrollment in Florida was more than 117,000 in April of this year, for a total of 264,088 since the special enrollment opened. Go to https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/ for more information and to enroll. And best of all - the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a Republican challenge to the Affordable Care Act on June 17, leaving the law intact and saving health care coverage for millions of Americans.
Bills that failed:
-SB130 failed (Mental Health and Substance Abuse peer specialists)
-HB247 Failed (Telehealth Practice Standards for prescribing controlled substances)
-HB1155 Failed (Pharmacy and Pharmacy Benefits Management)
-HB899 Failed (Managed Care Plan Performance, to break it down by race, etc.)
-SB828 Failed (Continuum of care regimen for Mental Health and Substance Abuse)
-SB694 Failed (For Dental Therapists)
-SB1244 Failed (Would have expanded KidCare Eligibility)
-SB852 Failed (Medicaid Modernization, to reimburse for remote evacuations)
-SB1038 Failed (Insurance coverage for Breast CA tests and procedures)
-SB1552 Failed (Medicaid Coverage for Adult Dental Services)
-HB71 Failed (Veteran Suicide memorial bill)
-SB786 Failed (Would cap insulin drug costs)
Submitted by Sammy R. Alzofon, sammy.alzofon@gmail.com 561-800-8274 Healthcare Issue Group Co-Chairs: Nancy Gau, Jessiestar2@yahoo.com, 561-439-4522 and Brent Schillinger, bschill48@yahoo.com, 561-707-7065
Watch Lori Live!
Tune into ESPN on Sunday, July 4th at 1:00pm to watch current Vice President, Lori Dool, compete in the All-Star Game. Lori is currently a Professional Cornhole player with the American Cornhole League. The top 8 male and top 8 female players in the country have been paired up to play in the single-elimination tournament, taking place in Philadelphia this holiday weekend.
Juneteenth, a Celebration of Freedom
by Phyllis Applebaum
Juneteenth (June 19), a newly declared holiday, celebrates the emancipation of those who were enslaved in the U.S. Although the celebration originated in Galveston, Texas, it is celebrated throughout the country. President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had officially outlawed slavery almost two and a half years earlier. However, emancipation did not come until there were sufficient Union troops to enforce the law (Wikipedia). The League participated in Juneteenth 2021 celebrations in Boynton Beach, South Bay, Wellington, and Riviera Beach. Each was festive, offering varied foods and interesting music. I had the pleasure of attending the Boynton Beach celebration, which was in its second year.
Although the crowd was not large, they were quite enthusiastic. The central stage offered speakers, dancers, singers, and musicians. One tall, lithe woman dancer seemed to bend into an S as she moved gracefully across the stage area, wearing a brilliant orange skirt and matching scarf. Then there was a lone trombonist performing for the group and subsequently walking around to the vendors’ area to say “Hi.” One of my favorite parts of the show was a speaker who talked about the history of Juneteenth. He ended by stressing how important it was to vote, receiving a big round of applause, especially from our table. At about 12:30, the smell of the food area began to overwhelm me. One stand, called Virgin Island Delights, looked particularly inviting. The chicken curry smelled great, but I was convinced to try the brown stew chicken. It was a wonderful mix of chicken, potatoes, and a brown sauce. I offered a tip, but the owner said, “No, no. Enjoy.” I felt like a guest. On this festive occasion, many of us were enjoying our own celebration. We found ourselves doing our first LWV voter registration in over a year—due to the Covid 19 hiatus. All of us had smiles on our faces at seeing our old friends again. It was a wonderful day.
South Bay, Riviera Beach, and Wellington The LWV team in South Bay, mostly Young LWVPBC members, had a great day as well. They were recognized by Mayor Joe Kyles. Partnering with Freedom Fighters for Justice and the Poor People’s Campaign, they helped people update their voting records and found several people interested in becoming members.
Our team in Riviera Beach partnered with People of Purpose, including William Freeman. They chatted with several Riviera Beach council people, police, and the press. The event was festive and wonderfully organized with 29 tables, food, vendors, and the City of Riviera Beach representatives. The chair of the newly formed group, JuneteenthPBC.org, Kenesha Hemmings, and her team did a stunning job. The Palm Beach Post reported that hundreds of people attended - it ran until 8 PM. The attendance limit was 1,000.
Wellington’s Juneteenth celebration was called “RedTeenth” since it was sponsored by the Sickle Cell Foundation. As with the other venues, there was food, music and dance. Pam Maldonado reports that her favorites were the marching bands with their dance teams. They did not register many people because most people attending an event like this are politically aware and already registered. Still, they had many opportunities to educate people about the changes in Vote by Mail. Their message: “Tell EVERYONE that you know who votes by mail about the changes!” That will be one of the biggest challenges we face before the Midterm elections in 2022.
Becky H. Robinson Joins the Development Team
Karen Clarke and Joyce Sullivan, Development Committee Co-chairs, are very excited to have Becky Robinson Halterman join the Development team Joyce had the pleasure of working with Becky on the last two Voters’ Guides. Becky is a Kentucky native, working at the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area in 2014 before moving to West Palm Beach in 2015. Once she arrived, she joined the Palm Beach League and volunteered on the Communications and Young Leaguer committees before managing the Vote411.org voter guide. At both Leagues, she was instrumental in configuring and operating Vote411.org voter guides in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 and she is more than ready for another rodeo next year.
Currently the Public Information Officer for Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks, she has enjoyed a career in nonprofit and government communications and is excited to bring her knowledge of online outreach tools to the Development Committee. She lives in a tiny condo with two chubby cats, her not-at-all chubby husband, and two hilarious tots, Era who is 3 years old, and Minerva who is 1.5. What is especially exciting about this article? She wrote this herself. Can you imagine the great things she will accomplish!?
Congratulations Becky! Welcome to our team!
Stop the Burn... Go Green
by Kathy Panko
The Environmental Issues Group hosted Patrick Ferguson, Sierra Club Organizing Representative for their Stop The Burn Campaign, at its June 5 meeting. The presentation focused on the outdated practice of pre-harvest sugar cane field burning which occurs every year, from October through May. His report covers the dangerous impacts to local residents, and the alternative, Green Harvesting, which is currently used in many countries around the world. Mr. Ferguson presented the following:
Why Burn Sugar Cane? Farmers burn sugarcane crops before harvest to remove the outer leaves and tops of the sugarcane plant leaving only the sugar-bearing stalk to be harvested. It is then brought back to the mill and processed into crystal sugar. The burning practice began due to the intensive labor involved in cutting the sugarcane manually. Today in Florida, the vast majority of sugar cane is grown in Palm Beach County and approximately 75% of the total sugar cane acreage (~ 400,000 acres) is located within the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). Additionally, there is an existence of sugar cane in all counties bordering Lake Okeechobee. Where there is a presence of sugar cane, there is also the issue of pre-harvest field burning.
Health Impacts The process of sugar cane burning releases various forms of toxic air pollutants. A University of Florida study identified particulate matter pollution and various forms of carcinogens, such as benzene, formaldehyde, and dioxins.
Mr. Ferguson noted: “Pre-harvest sugar field burning is a major source of regional air pollution, but escapes adequate monitoring or regulations.” Monitoring is a problem because there is a singular non-regulatory air quality monitor in the EAA that takes daily averages for particulate matter pollution only. Medical research shows a direct link with exposure to sugar cane burning and serious illnesses, such as: respiratory diseases (asthma, bronchitis, COPD), cancer and kidney disease. Research also shows that pregnant mothers exposed to field burning experience a higher rate of infant mortality, lower birth weights, and pre-term births.
Environmental Justice Discriminatory burn regulations based on wind direction ensure more affluent communities to the east are spared when the wind blows their way, while residents in and around the Glades, predominantly lower-income communities of color, remain unprotected from the smoke and ash. When the wind blows toward them, burning permits are granted. The discriminatory burning regulations are under the authority of Florida’s Agricultural Commissioner, who oversees the Florida Forest Service, the agency that hands out pre-harvest burn permits.
Environmental Impacts Water quality is impacted because pollutants end up in waterways and contribute to algal blooms which affects our drinking water. Soil erosion in the EAA is affected, greenhouse gas emissions increase, and wildlife threats occur due to animals getting caught in the burning fields or running into populated areas. Alternative: Green Harvesting All modern mechanical harvesters are equipped to mechanically separate leaves and tops from sugar cane plants without the need to burn them off. Florida growers regularly employ Green Harvesting when it is wet and they cannot burn.
When green harvesting has been embraced large-scale, the sugarcane leaves and tops, instead of going up in smoke, are utilized to create additional sources of income or savings for the growers and more sugar-related jobs. Stopping the burn also means less climate impacts, less water pollution, and more soil regeneration - all critically important for the restoration of the Everglades. Currently, there are no rules that prevent burning around homes, schools and churches. This campaign is about extending courtesy to all residents in Florida who deal with pre-harvesting sugar field burning. Please see the websites below for more information and how you can help.
Joan Cook (Boynton Beach); Frederick Courtright (Boca Raton); Carolyn DiPaolo (West Palm Beach); Kathy Haight (Palm Beach Gardens); Janet Kalman (Boca Raton); Susan Mason (Lake Worth); Melissa Palmer (Boynton Beach); Christine Pedic (Boynton Beach); Charman Postel (Boca Raton); Joyce Reingold (North Palm Beach); Patricia Rosen (Boynton Beach); Tekesha Saffold (Riviera Beach); Irene Simpson (Lake Worth); Yvonne Yegge (Jupiter); Jeff and Jeannie Yordy (North Palm Beach);
Contact information is available in the Member Directory at lwvpbc.org.
Please Invite Your Friends & Neighbors
by Membership Committee
The next Orientation for New Members and others interested in the League will be A Taste of the League on Saturday, September 25, 10:30-11:30 a.m. To register, click this link:
The Florida Board of Education voted unanimously on 6/10/2021 to adopt a rule that would ban the teaching of critical race theory in all Florida classrooms.The Orlando Sentinel reported that Governor DeSantis spoke to the Board before the start of their meeting on 6/10/2021, telling them that he does not want to stop children from being taught about slavery or civil rights, but that he hopes to prevent them from learning a "false history" that would "denigrate the Founding Fathers" With this monumental decision, Florida now becomes one of the largest school systems to take on/conform to conservative attempts. It should be mentioned that all seven members of the state education board were appointed by Governor DeSantis or former Governor Rick Scott, who now serves as one of Florida’s state Senators.
For those seeing critical race theory in the headlines and wondering what it is and why it is such a hot button topic here is the definition/explanation courtesy of the Encyclopedia Britannica: “Critical Race Theory intellectual movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color.” Educators and parents alike are divided throughout the state about this ruling, and even outraged. I personally feel that critical race theory, along with all aspects of history both World and US be taught in our schools.
I do not feel that aspects of history should be censored, as they were not censored when they originally occurred. I feel the students should have the right to learn/be taught this information in schools. What are we trying to hide by blocking out certain things? How will the textbooks read if key facts are removed? This is a very disappointing time for our educational system.
(The views/opinions expressed in this article are those and those solely of the author and not the League of Women Voters or League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County)
New Era for Sadowski (State Housing) Trust Funds
No more Sweeps - Senate Bill 2512 will guarantee an end to sweeps after July 1, 2021.
The statewide allocation for FY 2021-2022 (available in October 2021) will be $209.2 million.
Sadowski state and local trust fund will now be reoccurring revenue.
Recurring revenue means the initial budget will automatically include the Sadowski housing trust fund based on the new percentages established in SB 2512.
The new percentages allocated to affordable housing will be less than half of the Sadowski collections. The remainder will go to climate resiliency and septic to sewer projects.
We will need to find new sources of “non-recurring” revenue to make up the shortfall.
Local allocations/efforts will be more important than ever.
Local Allocation (current and full funding scenario) in 2021-22
Current (SB 2512) Full funding
For more information go to sadowskicoalition.org
LWVPBC Member Spotlight
Click the image below to nominate a member to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.
NEWS EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS
Ashley Cacicedo, Managing Editor
Annette Evans, Harvey Rosenfeld, Rita Wachs
Emily Rosen, Rebecca Freeman, and Jalynsey Brown
Please send your feedback or questions to lwvpbcevents@gmail.com
Starting August the newsletter will only be released on the 15th of the month.
