Price: One vote can make a difference
Saying it's time for a new day in county government, Democrat Shirley Price of Ocean View officially announced her candidacy May 12 for the District 4 Sussex County Council seat.
At events in Ocean View and Rehoboth Beach, former state Rep. Price said she wanted to be the one to throw a pebble in the pond and make some ripples. “Over the years so many of us have lost hope with county council. We don't think we can make changes. We can't make changes with the same people who are in office now. This is our time,” she told a crowd assembled at Mariachi's in Rehoboth Beach.
Price, a lifelong Sussex resident who served three terms in the General Assembly, has been a realtor since 2003. Prior to that, she managed her family business, Murray's Bait and Tackle Shop, and has volunteered for organizations such as CHEER Services, Center for the Inland Bays, Girl Scouts, South Coastal Library and Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce.
Price said the county needs a plan for growth that includes hiring a certified land-use planner with regulations requiring infrastructure in place before development can occur.
“We also need to make sure we are getting our fair share of resources back from the state and better information from state agencies,” she said. “The strong relationships I have built in Dover will help with that effort.”
She said the county's economic development office should be staffed and the county should work with the state to bring good jobs to Sussex County that pay more than the minimum wage. “Those are jobs that don't create environmental problems in the Inland Bays,” she said. “The health of our bays plays a vital role in our economy.”
“You will never hear me say, I am only one vote what can I do?” she said. “I know first-hand the difference one person can make. I have spent a lifetime doing just that – seeing a need and working to find solutions.”
So far, Price is the lone Democrat to file for the District 4 council seat. If there is no Democratic primary in that district, she will face the winner of the Republican primary in the general election. Incumbent Councilman George Cole of Ocean View has announced he will run for an eighth term against challenger William Carroll of Bethany Beach in the Tuesday, Sept. 9 Republican primary. The filing deadline for candidates is noon Tuesday, July 8.
Betty Deacon – who was campaign manager for Sussex Councilwoman Joan Deaver during her two elections – is campaign manager for Price. She said she is also helping with Brad Connor's run in the District 5 Democratic primary against Bob Wheatley of Laurel. Deacon said Price would start a door-to-door campaign in Rehoboth Beach on Saturday, May 17.
