One of the most hotly contested primary races this election cycle is in the Sussex County Council District 3.
Delaware Public Media’s Kelli Steele spoke to incumbent Republican I.G. Burton and his challenger Mark Schaeffer.
This isn’t the first head-to-head meeting between Burton and Schaeffer.
The two also faced off in 2016 when they - and two other candidates - ran for the District 3 seat.
Burton won, beating Schaeffer by only 127 votes.
Now, Burton - a resident of Lewes and vice president of I.G. Burton Co - seeks a second term, saying he has unfinished initiatives still on the table.
“One that is taking a lot of time…because it’s very instrumental - is the quality of life of Sussex County, said Burton. "And when I say the quality of life, I mean the quality of life to be determined by roads; it can be determined by the waterways; it can be determined by the environment; it can be determined by bike trails and other outside activities.”
Mark Schaeffer, also a Lewes resident and a volunteer emergency medical technician and firefighter at the Lewes Fire Department, says his platform consists of several things.
“Taxes, EMS and fire service, our deplorable traffic congestion and our agricultural community which you know is the biggest industry in the State of Delaware at this point,” Schaeffer said.
Schaeffer adds “something” needs to be done to fix area roads.
"There has not been any investment or reinvestment to fix the problems that are here or to build new facilities to handle our traffic and congestion," said Schaeffer. "Our EMS and fire companies are under enormous strain because of the growth.”
Burton notes one thing he’s looking at is the County’s buffer ordinance - that could in a roundabout way - help with traffic.
“How can we protect the environment? How can we protect the quality of life? How can we protect the area, so that we can continue to be a place that people want to move to." Burton said.
Burton also believes affordable housing is needed in the area, so he has started an initiative to look at workforce housing.
“We went out to RFP (Request for Proposal). We got seven bids from companies that would come to Sussex County and look at our zoning, look at our developers, look at our cost for things and how we can make it so that people that are building - developments, homes, apartments and condos - would want to provide a workforce housing element," said Burton. "To think that we are not going to need the services that people provide on a limited income - like teachers. How can teachers live in the Cape region and teach in the Cape region (they can’t afford it).”
Schaeffer claims Burton is not doing enough to create sustainable jobs in Sussex County, previously arguing “our children have to leave the area to find a job.” And he says that problem is growing as businesses struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Well as you know the 3rd District - the large employers in the 3rd District other than agriculture are tourism and service industry-type jobs. And those folks have been severely impacted by COVID," said Schaeffer. "I feel their pain and I understand what they’re going through; I’m a small businessman - I have been my whole life - I’ve earned everything I’ve ever received. I work hard. And those folks work harder than anybody to provide the quality service that they do at our hotels and restaurants and entertainment facilities throughout the 3rd District. So, I do understand that we do not do enough or very little to try to create employment centers outside of tourism and service in Sussex County.”
Schaeffer says he has a proven record of creating jobs - noting when he was mayor of Smyrna, the Delaware Economic Development Office told him he helped create an estimated 2,000 jobs in the Smyrna area when the Walmart Distribution Center was built.
Burton urges voters to look at his record over the past four years.
“If you look at my record and you look at my involvement in the community and you say, “that guy took the job, I didn’t know him before, he won, he’s got the position, what has he done in four years?” And I’ve done more in four years than…..I don’t think any other councilman has done. I’m tackling the hard issues head on,” said Burton.
Schaeffer says the most important thing the voters need to know about him is simple.
“I will not raise your taxes - that’s a guarantee. I’ve never voted for a tax increase.”
No Democrat or other party has filed to run for this seat - so the winner of this primary is expected to be unopposed in November.
