Delaware Voice Frank Calio

Imagine spending millions upon millions of dollars pumping sand onto the beaches, enough sand to fill more than 350,000 full-sized pickup trucks, along each of our Sussex County beaches only to see all that vanish in a matter of 24 hours?

That's what happened recently when the high winds and tides left the large sand box along our coast empty. Sixty-five percent of federal money and 35 percent of Delaware taxpayers' money washed away to sea.

You can't fool Mother Nature, and why should we taxpayers pay for the convenience and lifestyle of the rich and famous?

The argument for beach replenishment is that millions visit our beaches each year, which translates into millions of dollars in tax revenue from businesses and new developments popping up all along the eastern parts of Sussex County, which allow Sussex County Council to boast of record surpluses each year.

So the state continually pumps sand and county council invests in extending sewer and water east of Route 11 to protect their gold mine, while the rest of us enjoy fool's gold.

While on the western portion of the county, overworked homeowners' sewer systems are overflowing and sewer waste is spewing on the ground, the tax base is shrinking, schools are showing the high 70 percentile of students in poverty and once highly-fished ponds are becoming filled with debris which will become bogs or marsh land.

None of our elected officials give a rip, or attempt to bring in business or take care of the treasures on this side of the county. Our ponds used to be the envy of the state. Now all the fisherman find is their motor packed with weeds.

It's easier for the state and county to rake in their money catering to the wealthy and elite on the eastern side of the county, than to spend money and development on an area in need.

The money is in the rentals, new construction, property taxes, and income from sewer water and parking meters. Sitting back and collecting money and boasting of profits and surplus budgets makes politicians look good, and the taxpayer is happy they don't have to pay additional property taxes.

In my opinion, beach replenishment has ruined the surf. It is much rougher and causes more injuries because of how the water drops closer to the edge of the beach. Finding enough sand is becoming a problem according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in Delaware and other coastal states. The Corps is now researching to find sand shoals further than 3 miles to 7 miles out that could potentially be used in future beach nourishment work. Once that area is depleted, sand will have to be pumped in from federal waters.

Put some of that money over here on the western side of the county, pay attention to our ponds and the health and welfare of our people. We also pay taxes, but we are getting poor representation from our elected officials.

We don't mind helping to foot the bill to help subsidize our neighbors to the east, but what have you done lately to help us? Or are we just chopped liver?

Frank Calio is a native of Laurel, a former economic development director, a member of the Sussex County Council and a former state election commissioner.