Sussex ends year on a high note

Sussex County Council had a nice gift for county residents this year: Revenues were higher than expected and after paying into the county retirement fund council decided to give some of the excess cash back to taxpayers.

That the county has managed to weather the recession without raising taxes is an achievement; that there is money left over to give back is all but unheard of and certainly welcome news for families on the tightest of budgets.

Fiscal responsibility has long been the policy of the council, but achieving it has long been largely the responsibility of retiring County Administrator David Baker. He leaves his post on the highest of notes and the Cape Gazette joins council and the people of Sussex County in thanking him for his wise leadership and astute decisions over more than three decades of service.

Still, citizens have to wonder if council's success in fiscal matters could not be even greater were it not for ongoing legal battles: one for the right to continue to say the Lord's Prayer before council meetings and the other over the right to set the width of buffers along Sussex county waterways. Though very different, both of these issues represent a demand for change, a demand that is likely to grow louder as the county seeks to return to economic prosperity.  Even if the county were to win both suits, what has been won?

Once elected, council members should strive to represent all the people of Sussex County; giving up the Lord’s Prayer in favor of a moment of silence seems like a reasonable way to do this.

Similarly, allowing the state to establish scientifically appropriate buffers to protect water quality in Sussex is also reasonable. And, settling these two suits seems like a great way to save money for the people of Sussex County and a great way to start the new year.