Gov. DeSantis, veto this bill that takes power away from Miami Beach | Opinion

Water park threatens

Gov. Ron DeSantis,

I respectfully urge you to veto HB 399. Beyond the serious concerns related to public safety, historic preservation, environmental vulnerability and the strain on Miami Beach’s potable water supply, there is an additional issue that deserves your immediate attention.

One of the provisions inserted into HB 399 by State Rep. David Borrero was crafted specifically to benefit a single private developer — the Fontainebleau hotel — and to bypass the established city of Miami Beach review process designed to protect residents. This last‑minute amendment, introduced without appropriate public scrutiny or local consultation, raises significant constitutional concerns. This amendment functions as a prohibited special law: a legislative carve‑out tailored for one property, one project and one billionaire developer.

Residents rely on their local government and its regulatory process to safeguard their safety, their historic neighborhoods and their quality of life. HB 399 strips away that protection and hands unprecedented power to a private interest seeking to impose a risky, incompatible project on one of the most densely populated coastal zones in Florida.

The Fontainebleau water‑park proposal — anchored by a 131‑foot tower — poses unacceptable risks. It threatens a protected historic landmark, worsens an already severe traffic bottleneck, and introduces a high‑risk mechanical structure dangerously close to homes, hotels and the public boardwalk. The environmental impacts are equally troubling: this fragile stretch of coastline is already suffering from erosion, storm‑surge exposure and sea‑level rise.

The water supply alone should give pause. Miami Beach depends entirely on the county’s drinking‑water allocation. A water park of this scale would consume millions of gallons of treated drinking water annually, with daily losses from evaporation and splash‑out. This is water meant for residents — not for an industrial‑scale amusement installation. Forcing the municipal grid to sustain such a facility is a dangerous deviation from standard planning practice.

We cannot allow a single billionaire developer to degrade the quality of life of thousands of residents, override local authority and impose long‑term risks on a community that has repeatedly voiced its opposition. HB 399 does not serve the public interest; it serves one private interest at the expense of everyone else.

For these reasons, I respectfully ask that you veto HB 399. Protecting Florida’s communities, historic assets and natural resources requires maintaining strong local oversight and preventing last‑minute legislative carve‑outs that undermine constitutional principles.

Didier Varlet,

Miami Beach

Securing God’s house

More guns can’t be the answer to achieving security in houses of worship. The Florida Legislature allowed anyone with a license to carry a gun to act as a “security guard” without any training requirement. Clearly, experts in the field of institutional security were not consulted in the drafting of this bill. The data are clear — our congregations will be at greater risk, not less.

Institutional security is complicated and multidimensional. Congregations have ample resources available to them — from Homeland Security, FBI, Secure Community Network and FEMA — to develop comprehensive security plans. None recommend arming untrained congregants.

Larry Hurwitz,

Bay Harbor Islands

Thanks, ‘Canes!

A big “Thank you” to Coach Jai Lucas and the University of Miami Men’s Basketball team for a great season!

Proud to be a ‘Cane!

Joy Pargman,

Miami

Read the rules

Our president is playing a game of chess with Iran, with only the knowledge level of that of checkers.

Marshall Sober,

Aventura

Who’s there?

A recent Miami Herald article covered a traffic stop and PIT maneuver on Miami Beach. Reportedly, the vehicle was initially stopped because it was illegally tinted.

As a motorist, cyclist and pedestrian, I experience, almost daily, situations where overly tinted car windows put me in unsafe and dangerous situations. The ability to see and gauge a driver’s direction of attention and any gestures the driver makes are paramount for the safety of everyone out and about in Miami.

Why are the laws on vehicle tinting not enforced?

John Lewis,

Miami

Embracing ugly

In light of the Miami Herald’s recent exposé, “‘Nazi heaven’: Inside Miami campus Republicans’ racist group chat,” and the disturbing silence of South Florida’s Republican Party and the Florida Legislature, the incident should be considered a warning sign and self-evidence that our elected officials embrace antisemitism and racial prejudice as acceptable. If so, shades of what occurred in Germany during the silent era of Hitler’s rise to power.

In this instance, silence is not golden. Hopefully, the powers that be will stem this disturbing tide.

Thanks to letter writer L. Gabriel Bach and Herald editorial board member Mary Anna Mancuso for bringing this to light.

H. Allen Benowitz,

Miami

Flawed programming

Re: the March 20 Herald online story, “Lawsuit: Google Gemini coached man on failed Miami ‘mission,’ then suicide.” I’m sure I’m not the only one saddened and disgusted about this incident. Undoubtedly, it is not the only tragedy resulting from chatbot contacts.

How many events like this will be allowed to continue?

This chatbot is a money-maker that leads to desperation and is destructive. At the least, this type of site should be shut down immediately. A.I. has many attributes, but this is not one.

A.I. could encourage ways to get counseling and address the needs of people in distress. Perhaps even involve group help, at the least. That would be productive.

Every time I read an incident of this nature, I am appalled it is allowed to exist.

Myrna Silver,

Coral Gables

Another boat lift?

As much as I abhor the Cuban communist regime, President Trump should let oil tankers enter Cuban ports for a very simple reason: the more desperate the Cuban population becomes, the more likely some of them will try to escape to Florida.

Valeria Mastelli,

Key Biscayne

Dazed in Daytona

Daytona Beach Spring Break 2026 was another weekend of chaos, fights and gunfire and lawlessness. Massive crowds were packed shoulder-to-shoulder, danced wildly, brawled and turned the shoreline into a scene of disorder right before multiple gunshots sent thousands sprinting in panic.

Police confirm four separate shootings across the city over the weekend, leaving several injuries, including one police officer. Authorities charged and arrested 133 people on disorderly conduct as unsanctioned events drew huge crowds despite restrictions on loud music and alcohol.

This isn’t a celebration; it’s a stark reminder of failed crowd control, zero consequences and a culture that glorifies mayhem over basic civility. Florida’s beaches deserve better than becoming annual battlegrounds. Law and order must come first.

Charles Michael Sitero,

Ormond Beach

Quite the puzzle

I miss the “old time” Dollar Tree stores where everything was just one dollar. Even more, I miss the quality of their merchandise. I’m an avid jigsaw puzzle fan. In 2020, when COVID-19 forced everyone to stay put, I would take a daily walk to my neighborhood Dollar Tree and select several puzzles for $1 each. There were such beautiful pictures: puppies, kittens, mountain streams, farms. I favored the smaller puzzles, with 100 to 200 pieces. I’d spend an hour a day on them for fun.

Now, however, their puzzles are $1.75 each. That’s still reasonable, but they’re so flimsy that with a light brush of my hand across a puzzle, the pieces disconnect. Most jigsaw puzzles in stores today are 1,000 pieces. The only way I get a new, good quality small jigsaw puzzle is to order online. That runs into serious money. I’m glad I’ve saved all my old $1 puzzles to redo. Karin Stahl,

North Miami