There is one candidate with the experience and qualifications to be mayor of the City of Lewes, and that candidate is Mayor Ted Becker.
Mayor Becker has responsibly steered the City of Lewes to its current fiscal strength with year-over-year balanced budgets, healthy reserves to call upon, and no property tax increases for over a decade.
Mayor Becker is quiet but effective, and he actively listens to the community. When walking the streets of Lewes, as he does every day, Mayor Becker without hesitation is eager to stop and listen to your views, and readily makes himself available at other times as well.
Mayor Becker has invested considerably more of his time and resources to improve the quality of life in Lewes than any other candidate.
Mayor Becker has the steady hand and extensive knowledge that comes with experience to navigate the inner workings of the city, county government and the State of Delaware, and is uniquely positioned to leverage these relationships to advance the interest of Lewes, as he has done repeatedly and without fanfare.
The population of Sussex County has grown at a rate higher than that of any other county in Delaware – more than 25 percent increase in the last decade. This rapid growth is ever more prevalent with recent county council approvals of new developments just outside city limits. This growth brings opportunities for many, but it also increases stress on infrastructure and heightens concerns about the quality of life and the environment in the city. Developers are increasingly aggressive, and approvals for development need to be more disciplined, thoughtful and transparent. Landscapes are becoming unrecognizable overnight. Open space near wetlands is replaced with concrete and asphalt. Rooftops are more visible where tree tops once stood tall.
Changes in the makeup of Lewes City Council have also increased stress on the governance of the city. The city council has seen turnover in all of its seats within the past two years. Two of four council members were elected just this past year. Thankfully, Mayor Becker is the one constant from which to support a young council that is learning much from his deep institutional knowledge and invaluable list of contacts.
There are two other candidates running for mayor of the City of Lewes. Both lack experience in leading city government. Either one will need to learn on the job and will unavoidably make some mistakes that come with inexperience at a time when Lewes is presented with its greatest challenges.
The clear choice for mayor of the City of Lewes is Mayor Becker because experience, a steady hand, and proven and tested leadership matter more than ever.
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to newsroom@capegazette.com. Letters must be signed and include a telephone number and address for verification. Please keep letters to 500 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content and length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days. Letters restating information and opinions already offered by the same author will not be used. Letters must focus on issues of general, local concern, not personalities or specific businesses.
