As a sitting state legislator, I normally do not become involved in local races. This time, the stakes are too high to sit on the sidelines.
The 5th Councilmanic race is vitally important to the future of Sussex County and how it will look.
John Rieley’s background as a financial planner has been instrumental in keeping our taxes low, while increasing funding to our state police, local police departments, ambulance and volunteer fire departments. He has been a strong supporter of funding ag preservation, thereby preserving those farms forever. He also voted to increase open-space funding multiple times.
All this has been done without raising taxes.
But his opponent claims John raised taxes. It was an accommodations tax (hotel and motel) that taxes the tourists, and that money goes to pay for infrastructure the tourists use. That makes sense to me. Why should the Sussex citizens pay for that?
John’s opponent and his campaign has been negative and bullying, something we normally do not see here in Sussex. It started with the election signs. Then, he misrepresented John’s votes, saying they have created sprawl, when instead it was his own votes on Planning & Zoning that approved thousands of new homes.
Is this what we want? I think not.
I urge people to support the positive messages of John Rieley when they vote on Sept. 13, 2022: keeping our taxes low, having no conflicts of interest, continuing to support the funding of our local town police and volunteer fire companies, and to continue working with the Delaware Department of Transportation for improved roads.
Sen. Dave Wilson, R-Lincoln
