Environment is top priority for Florida Influencers in 2020
State and local officials must prioritize finding ways to handle water quality on the coasts, rising seas and extreme weather, among other environmental issues, Florida’s prominent political and policy figures say.
Issues surrounding the environment have risen to the top of the list of priorities of the Florida Influencers, a group of 50 industry leaders across the state, in their final survey of 2019.
Environmental issues narrowly edged out education, which had been the top priority of Influencers when the Herald surveyed them in April. Education remained the top issue throughout 2018 as well.
For this survey, the Herald asked Influencers to rank five issues — education, healthcare, environment, housing and transportation — in order of importance.
About 30% of Influencers ranked environment first, and 28% ranked it second.
“The greatest threat to Florida’s economy are man-made environmental crises,” said Eric Eikenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation. “Water infrastructure investment must be steady at state and federal levels.’’
Carol Dover, president of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, said the environmental issues take precedence because of their ubiquitous nature. Everyone should care about the environment, she argues.
“Florida’s environment shapes the lives of every citizen and every visitor,” Dover said. “From our beautiful beaches that visitors come from all over the world to see to the water our children drink from their school fountains, every citizen has a common vested interest in the ongoing health of Florida’s environment.’’
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Education was close behind, with 23% of Influencers ranking it as the top issue and 29% ranking it second.
Influencers said having an educated population is the key to finding future solutions to other issues like the environment, transportation and housing.
“We know education makes people healthier, reduces poverty, saves children’s lives, and boosts economic growth,” said Martha Saunders, president of the University of West Florida. “Honestly, does anyone ever lie on their deathbed and say, ‘I learned too much?’ ”
David Martin, president of South Florida development firm Terra, said education is necessary in tackling the state’s future challenges.
“We need to equip our youth with knowledge and encourage them to return to Florida after college so they can be part of devising solutions to the other issues,” Martin said.
Healthcare was ranked third by Influencers, followed by transportation and, lastly, housing.
Wifredo Ferrer, executive partner at Holland & Knight’s Miami office, said he hopes next year the Legislature addresses high health insurance premiums and promotes more transparency in healthcare pricing. Florida is one of 17 states that have declined to expand Medicaid, he said, which has inhibited Floridians’ access to affordable care.
“Medicaid is essential to protect residents in the ‘coverage gap,’ which translates to more than 800,000 people,” Ferrer said. “Of course there is more than one path to increasing the ranks of insured Floridians, and I would like to see some action on this critical goal.”
Bob Ward, president of the Florida Council of 100, argued that housing is the most important, given it’s a “completely solvable problem” that the state has neglected to address.
“Currently, it seems like more attention needs to be given to housing affordability and the importance of ensuring that the people of our state are not moved to a condition of poverty because there aren’t enough options,” Ward said. “The desire and hope for our children and grandchildren to live in a safe place without overwhelming burdens should be something that is obtainable by the many and not just the few.”
Influencers will gather in Miami Monday and at a public event Tuesday to discuss these issues at the annual Florida Priorities Summit at the University of Miami.
The summit will take place Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Donna E. Shalala Student Center.
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For registration questions, please email eventinfo@miamiherald.com.