LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
Lee Constantine,
Under any criteria, Seminole’s BearWise Program — first in the state — has been a rousing success. Once the epicenter of humanbear conflicts, West Seminole has drastically reduced nuisance bear calls to the Florida Wildlife Commission and no human injuries have been reported since the implementation of the program. This education-based/reduced-cost bear-resistant container ordinance is so popular that we have nearly 1,000 homeowners waiting for cans and east Seminole asking to be included. Unfortunately, the FWC did not receive grant money for the program this year. Seminole County must find an innovative approach to continue and expand this program protecting our citizens, property and the bears.
Joel C. Hunter,
The Orange County Commissioners’ consideration of adjusting development requirements in order to expand housing types is good news! Arguably, our greatest coming crisis is affordable housing for individuals and families. The common-sense architectural motto “form follows function” is even more important to follow with the growth of one- and two-person households that need a much smaller and cheaper place to live. Easing regulations to accommodate smaller working family units is a great step forward. Going from the ideal to building on what’s real is a good idea for us all.
David Kay,
With all the buzz (no Aldrin or Lightyear pun intended) about next month’s 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, it’s worth mentioning another less successful but no less dramatic space mission. As part of its monthly series of free Popcorn Flicks in the Park, the Enzian Theater will be screening “Apollo 13” on Thursday, the story of the near-disastrous flight that never made it to the moon — and nearly didn’t make it back to Earth. With the price of entertainment steadily climbing, it’s nice to know you can kick back in Winter Park’s Central Park and watch a classic film for free.
David Leavitt,
Seminole County property owners could see a reduction in their property taxes next year. Seminole County tax revenues jumped 8.2% during the past year to $35.7 billion. Consider this — most expenses are budgeted for years in advance, and Seminole County reserves are sitting at about $60 million. Every year, county commissioners vote to reduce property taxes, increase property taxes, or keep property-tax amounts the same. They almost always vote to increase your property taxes. The time is ripe for homeowners to pay less on their property taxes. It’s a rare opportunity that the county commission should be considering. Pamela Nabors,
I am looking forward to Mayor Buddy Dyer’s State of the City Address on Monday to hear about and celebrate Orlando’s growth and other initiatives and accomplishments over the past year. I’m equally excited that the outlook for Central Florida’s future is strong. Collaboration with key stakeholders is crucial to ensuring that our region attracts and retains new talent and skilled labor. The new downtown UCF campus, our Lynx and SunRail systems, the nonprofits and business sectors all play a pivotal role. This annual update is scheduled for 90 minutes, but the community conversations it spurs will spark ideas for the coming year.
Joseph F. Pennisi,
With the NBA Draft behind them, our Magic face the second huge challenge of the offseason, free agency. Correctly answering the questions posed by the fate of their own free agents, notably Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross, and dealing with the multitude of free agents available from other teams will go a long way in determining whether or not they build on the tremendous growth exhibited in the season just completed or take a step back into irrelevance. Fortunately, with the front office and coaching staff in place, we’re more likely to see a step forward than a misstep.
Stephanie Porta,
The Florida legislature has once again failed to address the housing crisis facing working Floridians across the state. They’ve failed by not fully funding the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund, ignoring pro-active legislation like a renters bill of rights, and now passing HB 7103. This antiaffordable housing bill lines developers’ pockets while limiting local government access to the tools necessary to address our growing crisis. Gov. DeSantis has been silent about HB 7103, slated to take effect on July 1. We must demand the governor veto HB 7103 and support working Floridians struggling to find affordable housing in this time of crisis.
Rick Singh,
Central Florida will soon be home to some of the fastest rail travel in the United States. Virgin Trains is set to begin construction on a segment of track stretching from Cocoa Beach to Orlando which will complete the route from South Florida to Orlando International Airport. The project is a huge step forward for the county’s sustainability, offering a new commuting option between Orlando and the coast to residents and visitors alike. Big infrastructure-based projects are critical to the future of Orange County. As the number of residents and guests traveling to the area climbs every year, the railroad represents the first step toward a more manageable transportation system.