Pale 22

The Herald And The Lantern

Thursday, October 2S. 1979

editorial

Hughes Shore Aid Plan Gets Approval

Cruelty To Animals: A Disgrace Cruelty to animals — it's nothing short of a disgrace. And. it's alive and well and practiced in Cape May County every day. Dogs and rats and other pets add an undeniable enhancement to the lives of their masters. They provide companionship and protection. They balance out the human family, expressing qualities such as loyalty, compassion and steadfastness — qualities that are admirable in human beings as well. Admittedly, pets have their quirks and their faults. They run off their master's property, dig up flowers and tip over trash cans. Hut even at their worst, the pets misbehaviour is more often than not the fault of an owner who does not train and properly care for the pet. or who simply doesn't care. l-ocal governments within the county have set stiff fines for stray animals. Most communities employ full-time animal wardens. And. then there are those who simply take the law in their own hands — after all, it's Just a dog or a rat. And. so. the "dumb animals" are shot and poisoned and maimed and starved. They are left out in the rain and the snow and the baking sun — sometimes by their very own masters. ^ Sortie of the recent samples of man's inhumanity in this county have been shocking. And. very little is done. Very , little can be done unless the community shows it does have , a heart, that it can speak up for these "voiceless victims." A relatively young organization, the Cape May County Animal Welfare Society has done a commendable Job of caring for hist and mistreated animals. They have vigilantly pressed for the prosecution of those who would mistreat helpless animals. The Society has as its goal the establishment of a county animal shelter that would make a genuine attempt to unite homeless pets with a family that cares. Thet also hope to provide low-cosi spaying and affordable neutering and innnculation services to keep pets in proper and aff The Society has as its goal the establishment of a county animal shelter that would make a genuine attempt to unite homeless pets with a family that cares. They also hope to proyide low-cost spaying, neutering and innovulation services to keep pels in proper and affordable

care.

Hut, as hard as they try and as successful as they may be at prosecuting cruelty cases, much more is needed. The public needs to return a little of the compassion and loyalty freely given by pets. Don't ignore cruelty to animals. Something can be done about it and will if we only show we rare.

WASHINGTON, D C. —, The House Public Work*, Committee ha* given a strong vote of confidence to two navigation and flood control programs in South Jersey which Congrenman Bill Hughes (D-NJ) is sponsoring. The two programs are intended to provide special flood control protection to six communities along the Delaware Bay, and to allow regular maintenance dredging in five major Inlets in South Jersey. Both proposals—which Hughes is sponsoring together with Congressman .James Howard (D-NJ)—were approved unanimously by the Committee as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 1979. The navigation amendment applies to Barnegat, Corsons. Great Egg Harbor, Hereford and Townsends Inlets. These are all federally authroized projects, and there is r strong need for regular maintenance dredging or other federal assistance to help keep these navigation channels clear. However, no federal assistance has been available over the years because the dredging authorization is tied in with other multi-million dollar capital construction projects at the Inlets. The Hughes amendment would simply allow the Army Corps of Engineers to separate the dredging from the rest of the project. "It may well be that Regular maintenance dredging is a better and less expensive solution for maintaining our Inlets,"

Hughes stated. ITm pleased that the Committee share this view, and is willing to explore alternative methods for keeping these Inlets clear." The Committee reviewed this idea and concluded in its final report that: "The navigation portions of thete projects are urgently needed, and their Justification is not dependent on the other portions of the overall projects This section will allow these needed portions to be constructed ahead of the larger, more complex beach erosion and hurricane flood protection parts of the projects, while at the same time not Jeopardizing these other parts." The Hoodb' control amendment^which was also addeotVpp the bill, applies to thtocommunities of Port Elfs&g, in S^lem County; Fortescue, Gandys Beach and Sea Breeze in Cumberland County; and Reeds Beach and Pierces Point in Cape May County. Under Hughes' amendment, special low-cost flood contrql projects would be built in each community to help prevent the severe erosion and flooding which they now suffer after every storm. The Congressman offered the amendment because none of the communities qualify for federal assistance under the tranditional flood control program. The full House is expected to vote on this legislation in the next few weeks, after which it will have to be considered by the Senate.

— KCS

VA Needs Proper Infer

Pinelands Planning Sidetracked Hughes Says

The Veterans Administration has enough Johnsons to populate Johnson City TN. about seven turn's over, and enough veterans named Williams to make a city fixir limes the size <if Williamsport PA. • Mr James R. Purdy. Director of the Newark Vetera iv Administration Regional Office, noted that with more tIvin M million names of former servieemen and women in its fikv. that many Johnsons and Williamses illustrate

veterans write in with problems hut neglect to include their all-important serial or claim number Mr Purdy added that it isn't impossible for the VA to locate a veteran's file without these numbers, but emphasized that supplying them will greatly simplify things and speed up the answer. Additionally. VA computers have about 55.000 Youngs, some -16.000 Hills, moit' than 3H.O0O Stewarts. 30.000 McDonalds. 28.000 Howards. 24.000 Wagners and approximately 23.000 SehmidK

WASHINGTON. D C. - Congressman Bill Hughes (d-NJ) charged last week that the Pinelands Planning Commission is not fulfilling m rcsponsibilties as an independent planning entity. 7 In a letter to Secretary of the Interior Cecil Andrus. Hughes said the Planning Commission has devoted too much time and manpower to regulating development outside the area which people generally regard as the Pinelands. In the meantime. he said the Commission has almost completely lost sight of which is its principal mandate under federal law. The South Jersty lawmaker called on Secretary Andrus to use his authority to seek major changes in the operations of the Planning Commission. He pointed out that the ^ Secretary is a member of the Planning Commission, and is also responshile for the ultimate approval of the Pinelands conservation program. Hughes said he intends to oppose the appropriation of any federal planning funds for the Commission until these changes are made The Commission has effectively been confiscating land by denying building permits in already

developed areas such as Hammonton. which . lie outside the critical core of the Pinelands. "If the Commission determines that certain resources are in the ptiblic interest, then the Government has a responsibility to pay for them, and not to seize them through regulation.'* He stated. "That was the dear intent of the federal lawrHughes. who was a principal author of the federal Pinelands Act. pointed out that he has already met several times with officials of the Planning Commission and the New Jersey State Legislature, and urged them to bring the Commission's activities into compliance with the federal law. However, these requests have apparently been ignored. Although he is opposing arty federal planning funds. Hughes said he still supports the appropriation of S12 million for land acquisition in the core of the Pinelands. since this element of - the conserration program must continue on schedule. "I really hoped that this Pinelands program would become a model for the rest of the nation." Hughes stated. "It's unfortunate that it has become so sidetracked."

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Williams Backs Transpo Bond

WASHINGTON - . U.S. Senator Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (D-NJ) this week announced his strong endorsement of the M75 million transportation bond issue which will be considered by New Jersey voters on Election Day, November 6. "I am especially anxious for the state to modernize its bus and rail systems so that more people will be encouraged to use mass transportation,” Williams said. "During the summer gas crisis, the mats transit cause gathered a greet many supporters. Now I would like to see New Jersey voters follow through on that lesson in energy conservation by approving the bond issue' which would help us cut down on traffic congestion, pollution and wasted energy." Williams chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Housing and Urban Affairs which has jurisdiction over transportation legislation. The bond issue would provide $80 million for county and local roads; $150 million for bus and rail improvements, park-and-ride facilities, pollution control equipment, and improved maintenance facilities; and $245 million for state raod improvements.

"Improvements in the state’s bus and rail systems are critical," Williams said, "and approval of the bond issue would greatly enhance our ability to upgrade quickly our mass transportation services," The Senator noted that, in most cases, federal transportation programs would provide $3 or $4 in federal financial aid for every state dollar earmarked for overall improvements in public transit and rehabilitation of deteriorating roads and bridges throughout the state. "The bond issue is specifically designed to provide the state matching funds necessary to obtain millions of dollars in federal funds and assistance from the New York-New Jersey Port Authority," the Senator said. "The state funds comprise an important pert of an overall program to make public transit . more modern, efficient and attractive to riders throughout New Jersey." Williams authored the nation’s first federal assistance program for mass transportation, and is considered the Senate's leading advocate of public transit programs.

BOYD & WOOI SURE ...AND HE SAYS HE L SEAT IT WITHOUT CAUSIN UNEMPIOYMENT...