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Earlier this week, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez proposed his 2016 budget for approval to commissioners. The Mayor’s $6.8 billion plan includes increased funding for libraries, parks and roads, amongst others, thanks to property values that are bringing in more dollars to the county. However, there is some discussion that a mileage rollback may be on the table. The mayor joins Helen to discuss this and more.

Guest:
Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Miami-Dade County

The area in Downtown Miami known as Museum Park, formerly Bicentennial Park, has been the focus of one failed plan after another to bring a vision for gardens, play areas and a free, public open space to life. Now, The Miami Foundation, in conjunction with local civic leaders and former city officials, hopes to establish a conservancy to help transform the area into Miami’s own “Central Park”. The plan would have two independent arms -- one to raise money for the park and one to manage it -- all while keeping ownership of the park under the City of Miami. But will developers stay away?

Guest:
Rebecca Mandelman, The Miami Foundation

Post-Panamax, looks at the expansion of the Canal – a mammoth undertaking that has implications for shipping around the world and for ports and jobs along the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Pope Francis has made quite a few headlines lately - last month he gave hope to divorced and remarried Catholics in his long awaited declaration on the social issues affecting family life. Stopping short of changing church doctrine, the pope divided clergy by encouraging them not to judge the divorced or remarried, but be more considerate when it comes to them receiving Holy Communion, which is not allowed. But the pope left the LGBTQ community disappointed by rejecting the idea of same-sex marriage. He has also injected himself into U.S. politics, by meeting briefly with Democratic candidate Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders called it an extraordinary moment and praised the pope for shedding a light on income inequality and the morality of economic life, which is a cornerstone of the sanders' campaign. The panel discusses these issues and the Vatican’s sponsoring of Syrian refugees.

Guests:
Daniel Alvarez, M.A., M.T.S., Florida International University
Robert Chalwell, Jr., Ph.D., OrdM, Broward College
Elsie Miranda, D.Min., Barry University
Charles Zelden, Ph.D., Nova Southeastern University
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Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, comments on how her party’s candidates addressed the issues, in a wide-ranging debate at Miami-Dade College Kendall Campus this week. She doesn’t hold back on the GOP frontrunner, Donald Trump, either.

Guest:
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, (D) District 23

Between a polarizing presidential election, ongoing racial tensions and the largest terror attack on U.S. soil since 9/11, it’s been a trying year for Americans and our belief systems. On this month’s program, religious leaders from across South Florida share what’s on the minds of their congregations and how faith can help rebuild communities moving forward.

Guests:
Very Rev. Wilifred Allen-Faiella, St. Stephens Episcopal Church
Rabbi Jaime Aklepi, Temple Beth Am
Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed, Darul Uloom Institute
Pastor Danny Slavich, Pembroke Road Baptist Church

In November of last year, two major Miami-Dade expressways, the 836 and the 112, went under dramatic toll expansions. Prior to November 15th, only a portion of these roads were tolled -- now it's the entire highway, leading drivers to dig deeper into their pockets. Miami-Dade's Expressway Authority (MDX) said this added revenue would help finance improvements and ease congestion. But seven months later, commuters are still up in arms. In last Sunday’s Miami Herald, a calculator was available for on-line readers to figure out the new cost of these tolls -- leaving most commuters outraged. Opponents to these toll hikes feel consumer outrage will bring about necessary reforms, but have these increased tolls been a benefit to decrease congestion?

Guest:
Doug Hanks, The Miami Herald