N.C.C. Civic League

See for yourself why this is a great idea by doing two things. Go to Google and enter: cape cod canal. After being entranced with what you find there – it is a duplicate of what is possible in Delaware - hop into your car and drive to the C & D canal. Park anywhere, space is unlimited, and walk briefly along the water. Watch for ocean liners and lowering of RR bridge. If adventurous, drive or walk along the water to the Aqua Sol restaurant, already welcoming visitors arriving by water or land.

Nothing is required as land is already government owned and open to the public. Only nicety suggested is contracting with a vendor for placement and servicing of portable potties along the 13 mile stretch of the canal.

Postpone demolition of the existing bridge when the new new $150 million span finally opens and transfer the $11.6 million savings to other needed projects, perhaps in New Castle County. The old bridge is still sturdy, not in danger of collapse, and not bothering anyone. Take it down when money is plentiful and some hungry contractor is eager for the work.

Cancel plans for building the Rte 301 super toll road, and save the $600 million in bonds being sold for other immediate needs. Let trucks continue to roll along Rte 301 thru Middletown, but direct autos to cruise thru scenic countryside on local Rte 15 – Choptank Road – and note abundance of open farmland. This should allow for relatively inexpensive widening of the road at a later day when justified by an increase in traffic. Drive along Choptank road and see for yourself the practicality of this suggestion.

Turn off the traffic light at the end of the Tyler McConnell Bridge and let traffic keep moving past the DuPont Experimental Station. Rearrange the local traffic pattern and make fuller use of the Station’s existing two north gates on Alapocas Drive. Constantly moving traffic will increase the bridge’s current carrying capacity and postpone need the estimated $35 million cost of the stone-clad monumental replacement structure earlier proposed. Go sit there in rush hour traffic and calculate the time savings of this cost-free suggestion.

Determine for yourself the need for more “affordable” work-force housing by reviewing the current number of unsold, vacant new houses. Add to this the number of for-sale existing homes throughout New Castle County. Then, with the pressure off for instant relief, evaluate the true cost - to Someone -of the supposedly affordable housing. Just remember, there is no free lunch. If the price of a house is dropped for one owner, it will have to be made up by others, including You. It is a tricky transaction and requires patience to see how it is done. Especially recall that initially obscured costs must be paid eventually. Transparency of transactions is not possible because of cleverness of participants. The only sure way to save being hit with higher taxes is to repeal the ordinance immediately. Later, when the economy rebounds and money is plentiful, consider a fresh version of this social engineering.

Every weekday morning traffic backs up on the I-95 Brandywine River Bridge trying to go up the ramp onto Rte 202. Plans are to spend multi-million $’s to widen the ramp to allow even more cars to stack up waiting to get thru the 202 Blueball interchange. These cars are wasting untold amounts of gas & time – which can be eliminated by removing the traffic lights in the interchange. Take the dollars from the expanded ramp waiting area and rearrange ramps at the mangled interchange to convert it into a cloverleaf – with which you are familiar – and which allows traffic to keep moving, even if slower than an express train. It will also rid the complex of confusing directional signage now in place. No new money needed, just a rearrangement of funds.

Put an immediate hold on any price increases by the Solid Waste Authority – and it’s approved haulers – while an enlightened review of its operations is conducted. Put aside the emotional issues and evaluate the waste removal and handling options now available, along with lower costs. Without endangering relations of DSWA with its bondholders and their $ 40 million or so of reserves, you deserve reassurance that the savings now available to other cities & towns are also possible for you. An independent review by competent citizens can quickly resolve any uncertainties – with no risk and only probable savings in the offing.

Predictions have come true: We have too many members of New Castle County Council serving too few people. By their actions these part-time legislators have proven too prone to bureaucratic maneuvering to efficiently serve their relatively few constituents.

Simply offer to buy out the first half who volunteer and reassign the remainder to previously established districts. This will also cut in half the cost for staff and its myriad office routines and expenses. Note that the work of Council is significantly less due the current economic downturn with persons seeking favors. The state legislature doubled the size of council; simply insist they now un-double it.

Every time a promoter comes along with a genius idea or a new proposal that will wonderfully benefit the community, check the people numbers. The truth is Delaware and New Castle County have relatively few people – to buy, to utilize, too support – whatever is being proposed. Look at the chart in the Civic League’s membership booklet and see for yourself – about a million live in the state now, with only 1.3 million projected by 2040. New Castle County has half million people now, and expects about 600,000 by 2040. Lay this against the 230 million now in the USA. Then evaluate whether we have enough people to support the proffered ventures.

Don’t grant any special favors to the Stoltz organization as they seek approvals to enable their building four huge new projects in New Castle County. The details have been widely publicized in the newspaper and the looming damage to communities is quite clear. No government official and no legislator should be given a pass in granting any favors. If the proposals are economically viable, they should stand on their own, not requiring tortured interpretations of the written law.

Take a look at our membership page and sign up to lend your financial and moral support to the work of the League. You’ll find a full explanation of the League’s mission, along with much additional helpful information. Remember this is a volunteer citizenship group at work watch-dogging those elected to serve you - and a positive resource for the enhancement of your community and your home investment.

The law only says the lines for election districts must be re-drawn every ten years to make sure there is about the same number of voters in each district. Things are different this time when we must re-draw the lines. The politicians already in office now have new computer data that tells them exactly in which houses their Friends & Foes live. All they have to do is draw lines to include Friends and exclude Foes. This is called Gerrymandering. Look at your current election district maps and see it in action. Then you’ll know why those crazy looking boundary lines aren’t so crazy after all. It’s stupid to let incumbents draw their own district lines. Insist an Independent Redistricting Commission be established. Only allow erudite, non-corruptible citizens be appointed, and tell them voters will not be stupid this time around.

It will be easier for all citizens to expound upon the wonders of Delaware if only the initials USA are added to the state’s slogan of First State. Making it read First State, USA will prompt questions from outsiders who now simply ignore the current non informative First State statement. Add USA to the First State on license plates and to state stationery and literature. Then prepare citizens to quietly but proudly explain the meaning – as will be found on Google and in every American History textbook. Use this to develop a cadre of 900,000 enthusiastic Delaware Citizen Ambassadors.

Compiled by
Dan Bockover, Immediate Past President
Civic League for New Castle County

You are invited to a actively respond to these topics by discussing with friends, contacting your Elected Leaders, and taking such other actions as you deem appropriate including Email Here with comments (and your additional topics!) for consideration by the Civic League.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT !