As a state legislator whose district overlaps a large portion of the 3rd Sussex County councilmatic district and also a constituent myself, I wanted to express my thoughts on the general election between Mark Schaeffer and his opponent.
As shared prior to the Republican primary, I was proud to support, contribute and campaign for the re-election of our incumbent Councilman I.G. Burton. While I was disappointed with the results on election night, word soon after of a non-party affiliated write-in candidacy quickly turned my attention toward supporting in a more public way, the winner, Mark Schaeffer.
Firstly, let me be clear: Sussex County government has been moving in the right direction. With leadership at the county administrator level in Todd Lawson shepherding county council out of the dark ages and thoughtful voices like Council President Mike Vincent and Councilman Doug Hudson providing the responsiveness needed in these demanding times, an elective body that for years was a playground for wealthy insiders and land-use attorneys has become more transparent, professionalized and constituent-services driven.
Mark Schaeffer has repeatedly stated that he seeks to continue the forward progress county council has made by enhancing the successful partnership established with the Delaware Department of Transportation for improvement districts and also study new and possibly faster ways for funding to be obtained for local roads. Reasonable people can agree that all options and ideas should be on the table when looking to address these serious issues, not at the expense of past and current planning but in combination, all the while keeping focus on the ultimate goal of improving public safety and enhancing our overall quality of life.
This responsible approach is something Mark understands and will advocate as all of us who are elected officials work together toward improvements for our shared constituencies.
As a public servant who has built my political reputation as a consensus builder working to bring people together, it’s been disappointing to read the negative and personal attacks leveled at Mark these last few weeks by supporters of his opponent in the general election. Regrettably, many but not all of these attacks have come from some of the same individuals who have worked to bring down my bipartisan efforts working on your behalf as a state senator these last eight years.
The negative attacks bring a level of mean-spiritedness not needed in our local political discourse, and voters have demonstrated time and time again that the politics of personal destruction have no place here in Sussex County.
I respectfully ask all who are safely going to the polls on Election Day and those completing an absentee ballot at home to join me in supporting Mark Schaeffer for county council. His past municipal experiences and leadership will serve him well by building bridges for a continuation of meaningful improvements in Sussex County government and the lives of residents.
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