Remember the reason for Independence Day
As I sit here thinking of this great nation on this momentous occasion, I cannot help but to be reminded of the obstacles that we have triumphantly overcome as a country to get to this point. Our founding fathers saw their government had become tyrannical in its oppression of its citizens, and even though that meant this little backwater colony without an army would face certain war with the strongest nation in the world, they overcame their fear and successfully won our independence from Great Britain.
The Roman historian Tacitus wrote: “The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.”
The founding of this new nation was a great and noble enterprise, and our founders decided that it was not just necessary. It was their obligation and duty to risk their very lives in the pursuit of this noble enterprise.
The people who founded this great nation had such a love of freedom and liberty that they were willing to risk everything to break the yoke of tyranny. They had no army, no navy, no money and no authority to create any of the above. Their enemies had the advantage in manpower, experience, guns, ammo, technology and money. The only earthly advantage the founders had was that right was on their side.
That right to be free was so powerful and so moving to them that they unanimously signed Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. Courage and sense of honor so emboldened our fathers that they officially declared to the strongest nation on Earth that they would rather die than allow their government to suppress them.
There are many reasons that make me proud of my country and proud to be an American, but the fact that this great nation has triumphed so many times in the face of dire odds, and yet risen to its present glory out of a complete and total obscurity, makes my heart swell with love for these United States of America.
Christian Hudson
Lewes

Rehoboth must control feral cat population
As a former nonresident Rehoboth Beach city commissioner and past Rehoboth Beach Chamber of Commerce president, I vowed never to complain to my successors about some of the petty subjects that I spent many an hour trying to solve.
The following takes precedent:
Something has to be done to alleviate a potentially serious health problem that exists in the ocean block of Baltimore Avenue.
My husband, Gene Lankford, and I own the Atlantic Sands Hotel, the Celebration Mall and a parking lot - all in the ocean block of Baltimore Avenue. Last fall, Carltons, our three properties along with the Admiral Motel wrote a letter to the city citing the problems we were all having with the feral cats. A trapper was sent and four cats were trapped.
There are now at least two litters of kittens, plus the dozens that weren’t trapped are roaming the street. The Back Porch manager tells us that when they close for the winter, the cats live in their walls and that the smell in their restaurant is apparent. The feces are being tracked onto our carpets in the Theatre of the Arts, the Carltons ladies department and the lobbies of the Atlantic Sands and Admiral hotels.
Last fall an employee of Carltons had a scary encounter with a cat that had gotten in her car at night.
Something needs to be done, because the kittens of today will be having kittens this fall.
The people at the Lord Baltimore Guest Home, who feed these poor animals, are doing them more harm than good. They are left to breed without addressing their health issues, and they are mangy and prone to rabies. They are becoming aggressive and a real health issue.
If you or I were assisting these animals to breed and run rampant in the City of Rehoboth you can bet that the board of health, the SPCA or even the building inspector would be at our door.
We are all animal lovers, but this is pure cruelty to a species and a disgrace to the animal management of the City of Rehoboth Beach. Hoping to be taken seriously by Sammy, Greg and the almighty powers that be.
Mary Burt Lankford
Rehoboth Beach

Rehoboth candidate explains fiscal situation
As many of you know I am running for Rehoboth Beach commissioner, and as a financial guy - my career has been devoted to financial management - I thought it might be helpful if I shared some facts and my perspective on the financial outlook for Rehoboth Beach. I want you to know where I stand, but please let me say that I will always welcome your comments. I can be reached at 245-5533 or at wsargent@tenpenn.com.
Generally the city budget is constructed so that the revenue from ongoing sources such as property taxes, water and sewer fees, parking fees, etc., which now total about $15 million, slightly exceeds the cost of all the services provided to the community. The surpluses from accumulated years plus a small amount of debt have been used to help fund projects such as the downtown revitalization, the new water tower, the First Street bridge over Lake Gerar and most recently the first phase of the Boardwalk reconstruction. Please note that the city has paid less than $10 million toward these projects, whose total costs will exceed $40 million.
The difference between the $40 million and the $10 million has been covered by the state and the federal government. For example, outside funds provided over $25 million of the $30-plus million cost of downtown revitalization, almost a million for the First Street bridge over Lake Gerar, and the federal government has agreed to pay $7.5 million to complete the Boardwalk reconstruction. Without these outside funds the city’s debt would have expanded by over $30 million. For the average taxpayer in Rehoboth this would be nearly $10,000 in debt that would need to have been paid for in addition to the normal costs for city services. For us to carry an additional $30 million in debt we would need to more than triple our taxes.
Incidentally, today our city has outstanding debt of about $11 million, but that debt is offset by about $5 million of deposits.
Our next big project is disposal of our wastewater, and the estimated cost is about $35 million. We cannot avoid this project - we are under a court order to complete this project by the end of 2014. Currently we have no commitments for outside funding from the county, from the state or from the federal government, so we must plan today to fund the full cost alone. This will have a big effect on our sewer rates, which is like a tax. The one happy note is that since our sewer also serves communities outside of Rehoboth our taxpayers will have significant help in paying for the debt that this project will entail, but how much of the total is unclear.
Now, given the financial uncertainties about the wastewater project and the economy, which has a significant effect on our revenues, is this the time to consider a project like upgrading our municipal facilities? Costs in the range of $30 to $40 million have been mentioned. Taking only the lower of these numbers would add $10,000 on average for each taxpayer. My sense is that virtually no taxpayer in Rehoboth would agree today to pay $10,000 of personal funds for an upgraded civic complex, so why should the city? It seems clearly premature to spend money for planners and architects at this point as some have proposed. There are many projects that will be done in future years, but they should not be started until it is clear that they can be completed with relatively little impact on our taxpayers.
I love our city, and I want us to have wonderful facilities, but I am also deeply committed to making sure that Rehoboth stays strong financially and is managed responsibly. With my knowledge and skills I think I can serve you well. Please vote for me on Saturday, Aug. 8.
Bill Sargent
candidate for commissioner
City of Rehoboth Beach

Those who enjoy Prime Hook deserve better
After reading the editorial “Prime Hook refuge deserves better” in the June 18 Cape Gazette, it is great to know there are many people out there who recognize this about Prime Hook Refuge.
It is not just the editorial writers of the Cape Gazette, it is anyone you talk with who is familiar with Prime Hook. Prime Hook Refuge is not getting the recognition or the management it deserves. I have been told this refuge management today is all in the name of good science. They say they do not teach wildlife management today as it was taught in years past. Does wildlife do anything differently today than it did a century ago? I do not think the management at the refuge really wants to see the barrier dunes repaired between Fowlers Beach Road and Slaughter Beach, probably due to pressure from other wildlife groups. I feel the barrier dunes are just one of the things that need to be repaired, not only to prevent saltwater from entering the refuge’s freshwater mashes, but also to protect private agricultural lands adjoining the refuge from saltwater intrusion at the time of high tides during storms.
The hunters who have paid for it and the local people all know Prime Hook Refuge deserves better. I am one of the many former landowners who lost their land and homes to the federal government for the creation of the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. What is management’s purpose?
Otis J. Clifton
Milton

Republican says no to new taxes
While the leadership seems to have reached an accord with the governor that results in millions of dollars in increased taxes, I urge each and every Republican member of the General Assembly to reject the deal. Why? First and foremost, the Republican Party is opposed to tax increases aimed at perpetuating big government. Second, the governor has not really bargained in good faith.
Consider the fact that the pro-union prevailing-wage measures remain in place, thus costing the citizens of this state millions, and are aimed at rewarding union supporters. When you begin negotiations with many things off the table as this administration has done, why should the Republicans help out by raising taxes on everyone else?
A promise to work toward reducing state jobs by 600 is just that - a promise. If you want to save tax dollars, prevent a pay cut for state employees and truly reduce the size of government, cut 2,000 jobs now. Sure, we will pay unemployment, but we will not thereafter pay health benefits and pensions for those 2,000 people. And the remaining state employees won’t lose their salaries.
If a Republican member of the General Assembly votes for tax increases, they should be sent home in 2010. Just my opinion.
Bruce Rogers, Esq.
Georgetown
Former Sussex GOP chairman

Don’t drink and drive during holiday weekend
Independence Day is upon us. The Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. The first celebration consisted of our citizenry ringing bells, lighting candles, firing guns and shooting fireworks into the evening skies. These days, many people still celebrate the Fourth of July in style with family picnics, watermelon-eating contests, historical re-enactments and sparkler lightings; however, there are a few of us who take this holiday to the extreme by drinking alcohol and then driving on our public roads. Not only is this behavior irresponsible, but it is also illegal for teenagers under 21 and adults to drive with more than a 0.08 blood-alcohol content.
Do everyone in Delaware a favor this year by hailing a cab or designating a sober driver if you choose to celebrate with a few ales. Let’s choose to reduce drinking and driving fatalities and injuries in 2009.
Buckle up, and have a spectacular Independence Day.
Merritt Burke IV
Community Traffic Safety Program coordinator
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension

Height fight never should have happened
Once again, Rick Judge and his fellow members of CPD - the Preserve - have fired a broadside and missed the target.
The two lawsuits Dewey Beach Enterprises (DBE) filed against Dewey Beach do not relate to the original proposal of a 68-foot building. That proposal was withdrawn and replaced with a plan for a 35-foot structure that was entirely within the town code as it was then on the books, and those plans passed muster with Bill Mears - the town’s own building inspector. It wasn’t until politics stepped in and overrode Mr. Mears that the trouble started.
As for HB 50, during the entire time this charter change was being debated and voted on, not once did any of the proponents mention that fact that putting a zoning restriction in the charter was in direct opposition to the normal way of doing things in Delaware and might even be in violation of state law.
CPD should have known this and probably would have had they researched Delaware law rather than picking laws from other states that suited their cause. And as a result of this oversight the town has spent untold thousands of dollars on pursuing a charter change that may very well die in committee because the legislators know a Pandora’s box when they see one.
For the record, I don’t have a stake in this fight. I own a house in Dewey that is too small to ever be affected by a 35-foot height limit. Furthermore, I fully support the 35-foot height limit that is currently in the zoning code and has been for years. I just can’t help feeling that this is a fight that never had to happen, and wouldn’t have had some people not used it as a political wedge issue at election time.
Graham Smith
Dewey Beach

Editorial ignores process of government
I was disturbed by Friday’s slanted editorial supporting the actions of Mr. Schwartzkopf in his role as advocate for gay marriage and the Millsboro casino.
Let me start by writing that I am and always have been in favor of two adults marrying or entering into marriage contracts or living arrangements as they see fit. It is their life, their money and their choice. It is curious to me that anyone could be so callous as to wish to deprive folks of their pursuit of happiness. In my opinion, it would be spurious to impose my moral standards - regardless which side of the issue taken - on others in this arena. It is, however, proper for the state government to reflect the will of the electorate, and that is where I find fault with your editorial support of Mr. Schwartzkopf.
This issue has been in front of the collective Legislature for several years and has enjoyed no success. Mr. Schwarztkopf appears to be pandering to his very strong, issue-driven voting, local constituency by pushing a piece of legislation that had failed previously through back-door channels. While I am in favor of the intent, I am deeply disturbed he would thwart the legislative process by this ploy. His actions give cover to many who were afraid to vote contrary to the population in their districts, in support of a just cause, in my opinion. The issue is far too important to be pushed forward with subterfuge. I believe Delaware would be better served by making it a ballot referendum decision in our next election. This ham-handed action by Mr. Schwartzkopf will only have the effects of depriving the voting public of representation on the issue and clogging the court system.
Portraying all who disagree with this bill in the manner the editorial staff chose has - de facto - condemned all who support biblical injunctions against homosexual, transgender, bisexual and lesbian practice as discriminators who are fearful of the various depictions of these practices and the possibility of long- term negative effects. I believe these issues to be contractual and societal and as such should be not driven by religion. I am sorry to say it has been agenda-driven folks of the editorial board’s stripe who have perpetuated this flawed argument by always connecting those dots. Although many hold those opinions due to religiosity, there are some who object on many different grounds.
On a higher note, to my deeply religious friends, Jesus is reputed to have said, ‘“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s...” He also mentioned being nice to the neighbors, not judging lest you be judged and said many of the injunctions carved into biblical cuniform were being erased by his death and resurrection. I am fairly certain nontraditional marriage was one of them.
Regarding the Del Pointe project: Locating a gambling casino across the street from a high school is a rather poor idea. Although I am in favor of free enterprise, I am opposed to the idea of gambling venues and bars in close proximity to a school.
More taxes, the rationale Mr. Schwartzkopf uses for moving this plan, are just so much easier than actually managing the bloated, poorly managed, pork-barrel-laden, patronage-rife government Pete and the Dems have given Delaware. For the historically challenged, the last time Delaware operated in the black was from DuPont through Castle.
Schwartzkopf shows once again that he is the waterboy for the Dems’ agenda. Too bad for the citizenry.
John McDonald
Rehoboth Beach

Rush to appoint Ross very disconcerting
I don’t know Marty Ross, but I bet he is a fine fellow with a caring attitude toward the residents of Sussex County.
But it seems to me that it would have done Mr. Ross some good to have his qualifications examined and discussed publicly without the rush to appoint.  I for one would have loved for the council to ask him critical questions publicly and get his response.  I would have loved to hear his thoughts on eastern Sussex County and development, on environmental issues, and even his basic knowledge of the zoning rules and the criteria he would use on making changes.
The rush to appoint led to one negative vote against him and another poke at east-west dissension in the county.  Did this really have to happen?
Welcome aboard, Mr. Ross.  I look forward to your doing a great job. I am sure you will consider our needs on the eastern side as well as those in the west.  Even with one vote against you already.
Ted Ferragut
Lewes

Bereft Lewes family thanks community
We lost our 19-year-old son Justin several weeks ago in a tragic pool accident. We are struggling daily with the death of our child.  We have been touched by the thoughtful gestures of support from so many people in our community. Thank you for your prayers, phone calls, emails, cards, visits, food, flowers, Mass cards, attendance at the June 12 memorial celebration and June 13 Mass, and the generous donations to Justin’s Nature Memorial Fund.  
Near the end of the summer there will be a beautiful tree dedicated in Justin’s memory in the Lewes Canalfront Park and a bench bearing his name at his favorite place, Herring Point at Cape Henlopen State Park.
While we continue to attempt to understand and work through this unfair loss of our son, all of your ongoing expressions of sympathy, concern and support are appreciated more than we could ever express. Thank you!
Jim, Leslie, Evan and Jayden Lesko
Lewes