opinion

Herald & Lantern 27 April '83

38 7

Editorials A Bad Swing Cape May County Freeholder James Kilpatrick is the swinger. This has nothing to do with his social life, Which is presumably exemplary But the new freeholder, partly because he is new, seems I- more and more to have the deciding, swing vote on-a board split 2-2. The most recent example came last Thursday when Kalph W. Evans continued his curious alliance with Freeholder Director An thony T. Catanoso and moved the reappointment of county counsel Arthur M. Ash. Freeholders William E Sturm Jr and Gerald M. Thornton voted "no " Catahoso and Evans “yes,” to be joined by Kilpatrick's deciding vote. Result: conceivably three more years of Ash, at $69,000 a year. Understand that Kilpatrick is no more responsible than Catanoso and Evans. Each has one vote. But Kilpatrick warrants the limelight because in the current 2-2 division, his vote is decisive • One can think of two reasons for Kilpatrick’s ■ pro-Ash vote. Both are lawyers, a profession th@t seems to demand one for all and all for one. And both are from Ocean City. ? Neither is a good reason A Good Move Congratulations to the Middle Township Committee for taking its show on the road and to Middle Township residents for attending. It all happened last Thursday night at the Green (’reek firehouse. Almost 100 persons showed up. and not just for the cookies, coffee and soda provided by the Ladies Auxiliary of the fire company, although that was a good idea too Anything that makes public officials more accessible to the public is to be applauded. Middle’s mobile meetings are a move in the right direction And one that all public bodies should consider. Our Read(‘r!>'Write Wait’ll Next Year To The Kdilor

Casper Weinberger 71 What Does He Know About National Defense 71 Now According To Phil Donahue ■'

Our Readers Write

To The Editor At the April 7 public hearing on the $4 4-million Middle Township Budget. William Deaver, who is the Cape May County purchasing agent, led a group of persons who spoke in opposition to the proposed budget While I respect the right of anyone to speak out on issues facing our township, it was quite obvious that the people who spoke were members of the Middle Township Republican Club, of which Deaver is a member Deaver proposed further cuts in the budget and he claimed that the Township Committee "underestimated" the amount to be anticipated from the collection of delinquent taxes Why didn't Deaver question the Cape May County budget as presented by the Board of Chosen Freeholders If he proposes changes in the Middle Township budget, then he surely should be able to find many more changes in the county budget But public hearing - as a matter of fact, he didn't even speiik' WHY IS THAT? Could he be afraid ol getting his employers 'the freeholdersi upset or do the freeholders demand blind loyality which, translated, means. If you like your job then you will remain silent ’'' Denver's double standard is a disgrace II Deaver were

Do you have an opinion on this subject? Write a letter to the editor, Herald and Lantern. P O Box 430, Cape May Court House. N J 08210

Lookin' and Listenin' A Happy Sight * By DOROTHY D. FREAS Looking through the kitchen window was not easy this cold day. A big pot of soup, simmering on the stove, created steam on the cold pane, erasing all out-doors. Rubbing the haze away, my motions with the cloth caused the back yard feeders and the ground beneath to erupt with a burst of wing fluttering. Now I could see! As the birds are quite used to feeding there, they did not go far — some only up into the thick branches of the bare lilac bush, others to the high top of our wild cherry tree. I remained motionless, and the sparrows returned first, wary but hungry. As nothing further happened to disturb the area, one or two, then six or seven at a time, of a flock of red-winged blackbirds dropped down to the ground to feed. SUDDENLY my eyes blinked! Among the birds in the flock, what was I seeing' 7 A blackbird with head and shoulders of yellow! As it ate and until, with the group of red-winged companions, it flew away. I noted the markings and size Then off to my bird identification books Why had 1 never seen this beautiful bird before* 7 The answer was clear when the reference said "A Yellow Headed Blackbird, robin-sized, inhabits marshes, only occasionally East of the Mississippi" — and here was one in the Villas. The soup was just right for that chilly day, but the sight of that visiting bird made me happy all day — and ever since.

so interested in the taxpayers, then why didn't he offer an opinion on the purchase of two helicopters, the unethical practices of the MUA, the county's endless expenditures for "no show" jobs, and the $8,000 Disney World vacation for his friends on the Mosquito Commission Furthermore, it should be noted that Deaver is Mrs Particia Peterson's campaign manager As her campaign manager, he has tried to embarrass the Township Com mittee in order to advance his own political career. Deaver is advocating a fiscal policy which the Middle Township Treasurer and auditor states is irresponsible He advocates this policy knowing full well it would result in a major tax increase in 1984 Could it be that Deaver wants a major tax increase in 1984 in order to assist his much-rumored campaign in Township Committee against Mayor Michael Voll* 7 AS THE DIRECTOR of Revenue and Finance. I can cer tify that the Middle Township Municipal Budget is very responsible It contains no frills and we made use of $750,000 in surplus and $263,000 in interest earned on investments. That's over $l million we earned because we were "fiscally responsible." Deaver's voodoo economic proposals are a "riverboat gamble" al best Deaver's proposals are politically motivated and his proposals have been rejected by the experts who are trained money managers Coupled with Deaver's silence on the county budget, il reminds me of the old saying. "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones " CHARLES M LEUSNER Middle Township Committeeman

Deaver’s Double Standard

I would like to thank the voters of I/iwer Township who supported me in the recent school board elections Although I was not elected. I did receive enough votes to encourage me to consider seeking election next year I would also like to congratulate those who were elected and wish them the very best in all of their endeavors whiU serving on the school board The local news media is to be commended on their coverage of the election and fair support given to all the candidates

ART ST JOHN Villas

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Bonnie Reina John Dunwoody (>arv L. Rudy Darrell Kopp

Editor General Manager Advertising Coordinator Director of Retailer Promotions Publisher

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Time for a New Burro Had a Vegemite Sandwich?

By JOE ZELNIK Tired of your present jackass' 7 The U S. Interior Department has lowered the fee for its Adopt-a-Horse program by $75. So now you can get a new burro for $140, or a wild horse for $215 These animals were overgrazing public land in the West. So Interior moved them to its Northeastern Adop lion Center near Lewisberry. Pa That's just off route 1-83 midway between Harrisburg and York Interior says the horses can be gentled apd trained for riding or farming. And the burros are grea) pets and also can be used as pack animals > KEEP THAT IN MIND since all your friends who haven't even written since last fall will suddenly remember you again next month and begin visiting That will require hauling a lot of beer from the store to your refrigerator A burro could really come in handy There are lots of other uses for a burro It could be rented out as a mascot for local Democrats, who aren't powerful enough to rate a full fledged donkey Only one thing wrong with that Interior will give you the animal after you've cared for it humanely for one year Wonder if being a mascot to Cape May County Democrats could lie considered cruel and unusual punishment' 7 ^ For more information on all this, call Dons or Frank Goodlander. who operate the adoption center, at 717 9382560 OTHER THINGS you wouldn't know if you didn't read this column: Two out of three households have someone carrying a lum^jurdtine out of eight meals is carried So don't feel cheap when you brown bag it * Most of you presumably don't carry a Vegemite sand uich in your lunch yet —-

The "Vegemite sandwich is from a line in "Down Under," one of the most popular songs in the top record album. "Business as Usual" by the Australian rock band, "Men at Work." which is enjoying phenomenal saccess Vegemite is described as a "pungent extract of brewer's yeast with a little celery and onion flavoring add ed " Australians spread it on "just about anything." according to the Wall Street Journal. The band is so popular that Vegemite is getting a rush from fans. The lone U.S. importer sold out a three-ton air shipment immediately. And that's fast SPEAKING OF FADS, the hoop skirt is making a comeback Boyfriends hate it. but girls who saw "Gone With the Wind" on TV recently are buying them, especially in the South. Here's hoping they don't get this far North. The board walk is no place to wear a hoop skirt There are recorded instances of wearers being blown out to sea and drowning. And think how they'd hurt business in Wildwood bars. One female in a hoop skirt takes up the space of three in short shorts ON THE SUBJECT of safety, a new book called "Safe Place for the 1980s" list three towns in Union County and three in Bergen County, but makes no mention of South Jersey "Several communities such as West Cape May and Cape May Point would have qualified." said author David Franke. "but we just never had the time to get there His loss FINALLY. East Orange General Hospital sent us a news release about footcare that warned. "Barefoot walkers usually have dirty feet Watch this space for more startling medical breakthroughs