Letters-Sept. 14, 2006

Broader strategy

needed on sprawl
To the editor:
   Aug. 18, the Delaware Township Committee finalized the wording for a referendum to increase our farmland and open space tax from 4 to 6 cents per $100 of assessed value.
   Given the amount of taxes Delaware Township residents already pay, I think it is hard to ask us to pay more without having in place a complete strategy to control development.
   As we have seen over the past few years, the township’s lack of an integrated approach to controlling development has depleted our preservation funds and done little to address the underlying causes of sprawl in the township. Our current zoning, and the lack of will to change it in the past, has led to the high demand for our land.
   An increase in the open space tax only makes sense in the context of a broader strategy that includes strengthening of our land use ordinances and revising our zoning. This approach is consistent with what is discussed in our most recent Master Plan re-examination report.
   More importantly, this coordinated approach would reduce the number of buildable lots in the township and allow the proceeds from the tax to prevent even more land from being developed.

Sam Thompson
Delaware Township

Don’t support

puppy mills
To the editor:
   My boyfriend and I recently purchased a puppy from a puppy store.
   After the puppy became deathly ill, my boyfriend and I decided to do some research regarding the typical practices of puppy stores and the origins of the puppies they sell.
   What we found was heartbreaking, and we felt the need to help educate The Beacon readers about cruel puppy mills and how they can avoid supporting them.
   According to The Humane Society of the United States, hundreds of thousands of puppies are bred and sold in the United States each year — many of them in inhumane puppy mills. Puppy mills are breeding operations that house dogs in poor conditions, kept caged around the clock for the sole purpose of breeding so the operators of these mills can sell a high volume of puppies for profit.
   Conditions that have been found on puppy mills include overcrowding, non-existent veterinary care, poor quality or no food and water, forced over-breeding and cages that lack protection from the elements. The result of all this breeding is hundreds of thousands of puppies, a great many with severe behavior and health problems.
   Puppy mills work hard to hide their business from the public. They sell their puppies through pet stores, often sending the puppies from several states away as well as through newspaper ads or over the Internet.
   Remember, legitimate, compassionate breeders don’t sell their puppies through pet stores or over the Internet. These small breeders want to be sure they know where their puppy is going and don’t simply sell to the first person with enough cash or a credit card.
   Unless you personally visit the place your puppy was born and raised — and where the puppy’s parents live — there’s no way to know your puppy didn’t come from a puppy mill no matter what a sales clerk tells you. You can find tips for finding a good quality breeder at www.PuppyBuyersGuide.org.
   If you’re looking for a purebred puppy or dog, another great option is adoption. About one out of every four dogs in a shelter is a purebred, and there are rescue groups for virtually every breed of dog out there. People can find a local shelter or breed rescue by visiting www.petfinder.org as well as www.PETS911.com.
   No dog lover wants to support animal cruelty, but many do so without knowing it by buying puppy mill puppies from pet stores, newspapers, the Internet, etc.
   Please help spread the word about the cruelty of puppy mills. Find out more by visiting www.StopPuppyMills.org.

Lisa Gooley
William Hernandez
Princeton

Step up to plate

for school
To the editor:
   The roots run deep, and the responsibility for preservation runs deeper.
   It is the core of our community and, as a National Historic Landmark, represents education from the days of outhouses and carriages to PCs and the Internet.
   The school would not have made it over the past 175 years if not for the support of the people of Stockton. Historically, our community has stepped up and taken responsibility for providing a functioning facility for generations of kids.
   My son, Charles, attends Stockton School, and it is truly a center of high-quality education. My son’s mother attended Stockton School. In fact, so did her father, her father’s father and, yes, her father’s father’s father!
   It is time to step up to the plate again. While we have managed to keep up with maintaining the building, we must conduct some major renovations in order to accept the responsibility that is a tradition in Stockton.
   By showing your support, we will be granted funding from the state Department of Education and the state Historic Trust. This funding will reduce the tax burden to a cup of coffee a week.
   If done separately over the years, the cost will be five times that amount.
   Vote yes Sept. 26. Do it for the community and, if not for Charles, do it for his kids, his kid’s kids and, yes, his kid’s kid’s kids!

Rick McDaniel
board president
Stockton School

‘Learning’ event

had much help
To the editor:
   Another successful Second Saturday, sponsored by the Lambertville Area Chamber of Commerce, was celebrated in the city this past weekend.
   A heartfelt thank you to all the business owners who stayed open late to educate visitors about the distinctive aspects of their trade. During this innovative "Learning in Lambertville" event, tourists and locals were entertained and educated on a few of the elements that make our river city so unique.
   Homestead Markets shared delicious hors d’oeuvres and succulent Jersey peaches.
   The talented Roxey Ballet dancers meandered through the streets, and street musicians performed. Relaxing chair massages were given by the staff at Zanya Spa and Salon.
   The scandalous "Lambertville Wife" was presented at the Bridge Street House to rave reviews.
   Thank you to those who shared their gifts and to all the volunteers who made this event possible.
   We look forward to next month’s Second Saturday when a pet masquerade will be our main event.
   Details will be available soon at www.lambertville.org.

Tom Martin
president
Lambertville Area
Chamber of Commerce