Kudos to Barbieri

Published May 18th, 2008

The next time you see Frank A. Barbieri, Jr. -- thank him.

The Palm Beach County Zoning Board Chairman played a major role in resolving the recent school sign flap -- which directly benefits all Boca Raton schools. 

And that resolution became a law, “due to Frank's research and persistence,” says West Boca Community Council President Shari Scarborough.

The legislature in fact passed a law May 2 that will allow schools to partner with businesses and place signs on school fences “in a manner that is consistent with the county standards for uniformity in size, color and placement through a pilot program,” says Scarborough.

And both Scarbourgh and Barbieri are quick to thank the assistance of Senators Ted Deutch and Dave Aronberg, and Representatives Richard Machek, Maria Sachs and Kelly Skidmore.

“And last, but certainly not least, a very special thanks to Representative Adam Hasner,” says Scarborough. House Majority Leader Hasner "went to bat for us on this one” says Scarborough. “Without his assistance in getting the leadership to support us, our attempts in getting the state law changed would not have occurred.”

All in all, and example of teamwork working.

And Barbieri, a good man, leading the way.

Something to consider: For parents who are being solicited all over the country to supply a child’s information to privately operated websites or databases in the event that a child turns up missing, please consider that the odds of such information being used and abused is astronomically greater than the odds of a child turning up missing.  Think about it.

From someone who heard Republican Presidential candidate John McCain during a recent private home visit in Boca Raton:  “My thoughts were that he focused on creating a safe environment for our country; keeping the terrorists on their soil and not ours, and a zero tolerance on negotiating with terrorists and those who support terror. He also discussed alternative energy and becoming less dependent on foreign oil with specifics such as nuclear and other types of energy programs.”

Largely caused by unnecessary and duplicated procedures that the Dartmouth Atlas calls a “therapeutic frenzy,” all 33 hospitals in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties are in the top 20 percent nationwide in healthcare costs for patients in the last two years of life.

Palm Beach County hospitals are not far behind

Tubes, machines and indignity anyone? Subsequent and next generation unpayable health care costs for our children, anyone?

Adding a third layer to the costs and indignity questions above, the following has also now part of the picture.

Under the current estate tax structure, the federal estate tax exemption amount is $2 million in 2008, $3.5 million in 2009, and there is no federal estate tax in 2010. Therefore, some lawyers are telling survivors to keep persons alive by any means necessary until January 1, 2010.