Dr's In: Legislators can do better

Although the recent slaying of a Zephyrhills High School student was not part of a school rampage, it does bring home Florida’s vulnerability to a school incident. Furthermore, on the eve of the anniversary of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy, an apparently well-known and liked Colorado student brought a shotgun to school and shot one girl critically, wounded another, and sent a third anxiety-ridden youth to the hospital. The student took his own life.

Thus far Florida has not suffered through a school shooting or mass murder the likes of Newtown (27 dead), Aurora (12 killed), Columbine (13 slain), or Virginia Tech (32 victims). Since Newtown, according to Mother Jones, 194 children have been killed by guns. With a paralyzed U.S. Congress and rigid Florida Legislature, more tragedies loom ahead. Solutions are talked to death and beaten back by gun rights advocates. A few states on their own initiative have strengthened gun laws.

Florida faces the perfect storm with its “Tea Party” governor. Noting Florida gun laws, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence’s report card scores Florida three out of 100 points for gun control. Florida has some of the laxest laws in the nation for gun ownership. Recent efforts prodding the Pasco County Commission to discuss gun-show loopholes were rebuffed. At the state level, efforts by Gov. Rick Scott’s administration further weaken public health and safety.

During Scott’s administration, a continued dismantling of Health Department regulatory responsibilities and the forced exodus of talented public health leadership has compromised the Health Department’s ability to respond to critical public health incidents. The tuberculosis outbreak response in Jacksonville and the closing of the state’s only TB hospital serve as examples of political decisions driving the public health agenda.

The failure of the Scott administration to accept Obamacare money has denied one million residents the opportunity for health insurance. Those folks will have difficulty being treated for their chronic disease and will pose a potential community risk for spreading infectious disease.

The Scott administration has ravaged human services safety nets. Public education continues to experience a hemorrhaging of resources. Nationally, Florida ranks 13th from the bottom in what it spends on public education, compared to other states. Florida’s deteriorating health, education, and human services programs create the potential for heated communities and explosive incidents.

The Scott administration continues to show little sympathy or support for health and human services, mental health, and needed infrastructure resources in all Florida communities.

The solutions require rebuilding our state mental hospital system, sensible gun policy, and accepting Obamacare resources that help patients, doctors, other providers, and hospitals. An increase in state resources through an equitable tax code would allow communities to improve resources for public education, health, and county infrastructure. The “No New Tax” mantra must give way to addressing community needs.

Let us not suffer through the terrible tragedy of Newtown and so many tragic incidents since due to a misguided, shortsighted and mean-spirited policy. Our elected officials in Florida can do better than this.