Jeff Bezos betrayed stepfather’s contribution to Miami-Dade’s sustainability movement | Opinion
Don’t ditch Miami
Dear Jeff Bezos,
While you sat in the front row at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, his administration was working to roll back progress Miami-Dade PTAs have fought for since 2021 and undermine your grant to the World Resources Institute to transition diesel school buses to clean and quiet electric buses.
Did you know that your step-dad, Mike Bezos, helped spark Miami-Dade’s ambitious sustainability movement?
At the 2019 Aspen Schools Challenge, he encouraged a MAST PTA parent to help schools go green — leading to a 100% clean energy resolution by 2030. Like your Climate Pledge, this commitment acknowledges the urgency of cutting emissions by 50%.
Since then, Miami-Dade has made huge strides. The school board passed a 100% clean energy resolution. The board hired its first sustainability officer and also secured $43 million for electric buses, energy retrofits and food waste reduction. Now, Trump has frozen that funding. Programs like electric buses — proven to cut pollution and boost reading scores by seven percent — are at risk.
Will you step in to keep your stepdad’s impact alive? How about making your alma mater Palmetto Senior High the first net-zero energy school?
The students of Miami-Dade Public Schools need your help.
Michele Drucker,
Miami
Betraying values
The Trump administration’s decision to rescind Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans is alarming and unjust. These individuals fled one of the world’s most brutal regimes, sought refuge in the United States and are contributing to their communities. Now, they face deportation to a country where basic necessities like food and medicine are scarce.
This decision sends the wrong message about America’s commitment to refugees and its moral values. The U.S. has long been a beacon of hope for those fleeing persecution. Rescinding TPS undermines this legacy. Let’s stand by our Venezuelan neighbors, not turn our backs on them.
Laura Locke,
Miami
Data heist?
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his small band of hackers are attempting to take control of payments made by the U.S. Treasury Department without any legal standing to do so. He has violated multiple data security laws and should be arrested rather than be ignored by mainstream media.
This is, in effect, a coup attempt against the U.S. government, aided and abetted by the Trump administration. This is not a political difference; this is a serious, illegal breach of personal data and should be addressed as such by all media outlets.
David P. Burkart,
Miami
Risky tariffs
While all Americans want the nation to prosper and succeed, the new import tariffs are risky business. Untried for nearly a century, the benefits are understood, the costs however, are unknown.
For example, some small countries that don’t have oil or the capacity to manufacture cars will put a 100% tariff on these commodities, ensuring that those who directly benefit from the cars and fuel will pay for the highway infrastructure they use.
The creators and influencers of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 appear to have provided more of a polemic rather than a rigorous contingency analysis of this extraordinarily complex issue, which involves millions of products and most countries.
The desired effects are jobs, profits and economic growth. So far, the economic evidence to achieve this appears to be lacking. Aspirational goals have little value compared to deep economic analysis.
Kenneth Lipner,
Miami
Finding balance
Re: the Feb. 2 article, “Miami Republican members of Congress walk a tight rope amid Trump immigration crackdown.” I find it laughable they would think it would be otherwise. Republican Reps. Carlos Gimenez, Maria Salazar and Mario Diaz-Balart were all staunch supporters of Donald Trump. Before the election, however, Trump was very clear and vocal that his intentions were to deport “millions” of undocumented immigrants.
The representatives want the administration to deport individuals on a case-by-case basis, as most undocumented Venezuelans are law-abiding, contribute to the community and do not commit crimes. Trump however, sees all undocumented immigrants as “criminals.”
Now, Gimenez, Salazar and Diaz-Balart, along with conservative-leaning Venezuelan American citizens who overwhelmingly voted for Trump, will discover the consequences of their loyalty and their votes. Trump, it seems, does not care for immigrants, unless they are white European or South African.
Robin Katzenstein,
Davie
Wanton words
President Donald Trump proved last Thursday what tens of millions believe: that he is the lowest form of a human being. Sixty-seven guiltless Americans died Wednesday night over Washington Reagan Airport and the Potomac River, and all Trump could do, without any facts, was cast blame in every direction imaginable.
The king of cruel has no boundaries and everyone ultimately is a possible target for his attacks and lies.
David Kahn,
Boca Raton
Fury roads?
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the Florida Highway Patrol, a law enforcement agency that struggles with its basic duties due to chronic under-staffing and low pay, to now assist with immigration enforcement. This is good news for anyone who enjoys racing on our state roadways. Bad news, however, for anyone who believes there should be some sane and effective enforcement of our traffic laws.
At least the governor will earn brownie points for perpetuating and promoting President Trump’s fear-mongering and demonization of those trying to achieve the American dream. Meanwhile, no one will do anything to actually resolve the deficiencies in our immigration laws.
Scot McCluskey,
Davie
Next window, please
Who will tell elected local and state officials to please stop telling condo unit owners to file complaints with the Department of Business & Professional Regulations (DBPR), when that department lacks a sufficient number of investigators to process the huge number of submissions?
The DBPR has been under-funded for years because our elected Tallahassee leaders refuse to address wrong-doing and hold those wrong-doers accountable.
Joanne Tomarchio,
Miami
No common sense
The “genius” who knows more than the generals, scientists, medical professionals and now the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spent about 10 seconds on thoughts and prayers, then blamed the Washington, D.C. air accident on diversity, equity and inclusion — before any official investigation started. In doing so, he stigmatized every African American, Asian, Latino and woman air traffic controller. When asked for evidence, he said it’s “common sense.”
I am a retired FAA manager. FAA employees are constantly reminded that the service they provide the American flying public is also provided for themselves and all their family members.
Does the “genius” think any one of us would overlook any person or action that would jeopardize lives, including the “genius?”
The FAA employs many non-controller positions at flight stations, towers and control centers. Any citizen can go online to view the FAA’s organization and positions, something the “genius” did not do.
More fearful is if the “genius” decides to use his nuclear authority, his reason would be ”common sense.”
Mario Signorello,
Port St. Lucie
See no evil
Re: the Jan. 31 Herald online story, “Surfside weighs tighter monitoring of new construction in wake of sinking buildings study.” Ironically, the first response of some Surfside town commissioners to the possibility that new regulations about sinking buildings might result in litigation from developers, is to stick their heads in the sand.
Dan Lundberg,
North Miami