I am responding to a letter written by Mr. Preston Shell that ran in the Sussex Countian, on Jan. 20, 2010.
First let me say I found it odd that he did not mention that he is a principal investor in the Del Pointe project. His call to the citizens of Delaware to contact their representatives was very self-serving. In his letter Mr. Shell refers to “fat cats,” sound[ing] like the pot calling the kettle black.
The backers of the proposed casino always bring up the additional jobs for our county and the much-needed revenue for the state. However, little is said as to what these jobs will pay, as well as what impact the casinos will have on our already overburdened roads. Who will pay for these improvements?
DelDOT has no immediate plans for improvement of any east-west roads that will allow easy traffic flow between Route 1 and U.S. 113. Some of the improvements now in the planning stages for Sussex County will take five years to complete. In addition, none of these projects will extend more than five miles from Route 1. As for road improvements directly related to Del Pointe, they only plan to put in slow down and turning lanes on U.S. 113.
If Mr. Schell is really concerned with the welfare of the citizens and the future of Delaware, there are other alternatives for him to invest in our economy. We need light industry and more professional complexes. This will create more income for the state and county, along with well-paying jobs that can inspire our children to stay in school and remain in Sussex County. A long journey starts with the first step; let us all make sure it is the right one.
