‘Nothing Happens Unless First a Dream’

I am writing this column from our family farm in Louisiana where my wife and I have come for a visit with family who live in the surrounding area. As I am growing older I am sometimes asked when I intend to retire; my answer is always: I like my work far too much to give it up. I get to work with such interesting people and the challenges before us as a nation, state and community are so diverse that I would not miss being involved for all the world.
While I was down here I went to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to have a small skin cancer removed from my back. One of the forms I had to fill out asked me questions about my level of happiness and overall attitude toward life; I ranked my attitude “10” (best possible) for all three. That is to say, I feel blessed. I enjoy my work, and I love the community I am privileged to call my home. So no, as much as I enjoy the tranquility of the farm and countless family members nearby, I have no desire to step down and move back.
Growth of government is at the root of our
problems, but local government is responsive.
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One of my great joys is working with the people of Cape Issues. They volunteer their time throughout the month, and attend a monthly meeting at 7 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month to discuss the opportunities our municipalities and county face. Let me tell you, you and I are very fortunate to be served by such selfless, caring individuals.
In our studies, one of the things Cape Issues learned is that our community spends in excess of $750 million annually on local, government-provided services. With the world changing so rapidly, it is prudent to analyze what we are purchasing for that huge sum of money, and ask ourselves if those expenditures are consistent with our future needs and desires.
As an example, county government has just completed a comprehensive study of how we dispatch emergency services, and is embarking on consolidation. The first step is with Stone Harbor and Avalon, and this tiny forward step, using the latest technologies, not only significantly improves dispatching operations, but saves millions of dollars. As central dispatching is rolled out county-wide, services will improve further and savings will multiply.
Dispatching is only a tiny portion of the overall budget. As governments work to streamline all aspects of operations, can you imagine how many more improvements can be made and how much more money can be freed for other purposes?
This could provide homestead exemptions for local resident property taxes, if desirable. And what about a county planning department which worked with each municipality to plan and fund citizens’ dreams for a model community, all in concert with an overall county plan?
To illustrate, look at how Cape May has gone from an aged “Grand Dame” to the historical magnet for tourists it is today. And look at Avalon; when we purchased the Herald from Dr. John and Jane Anne Cunningham in 1979, our office was located on Dune Drive, an avenue so wide that people would not cross to shop on the other side of the street. Through imaginative planning, Avalon has repurposed the excess width to create a very desirable city center. Imagine similar, community-specific efforts county-wide!
And what about our students? They need jobs. What about the community supporting our professional educational community to offer not only requisite courses, but also create academies which offer diplomas necessary to remake Cape May County according to our plans for the 21st Century?
As a community, we are blessed not only in natural assets but in our proximity to major population centers. We are limited only by our imagination and our drive; this puts our future in our hands.
We hear so much about the growth of government being at the root of America’s problems, and I agree. But, it has been my observation locally that in great measure, our governments are responsive to the citizens when things are thought through and reasoned arguments are presented. Our future requires that we all work together.
When we are dead we can rest. In the meantime, let’s get busy.