I live on the Outer Banks, north of Corolla, and I must take exception to this newspaper's misinformed portrayal of the proposed Currituck ferry (editorial, Nov. 18, not posted).
While it is true that the school busing issue is a part of the justification for the ferry, only one trip in the morning and one return in the afternoon would be exclusively for students. The greater utilization of the ferry would be by the general public. The severe shortage of workers able to fill service jobs on the Banks may well be relieved, to some extent, when the time and expense of an 80-mile round trip by auto can be replaced by a 10-mile round trip by ferry. The Currituck ferry is also meant to only be a stopgap measure until a decision is made on the feasibility of the proposed Mid-County Bridge linking the Currituck Banks with the mainland.
Sen. Marc Basnight understands the unique needs of a truly unique part of this state, as most "mainlanders" do not. The residents of Currituck look forward to the day when they can get from one part of their county to the other without having to traverse Dare County and spend the better part of the day doing so.
Tom McMurray
Swan Beach
Comments (3)
"Sen. Marc Basnight understands the unique needs of a truly unique part of this state, as most "mainlanders" do not."
You mean like sucking up to the commerical fishing lobby at the expense of coastal fish stocks?
Or maybe Basnight understands the needs of the business owners on the banks to get cheap labor because the cost of living (rent and homeownership) is so expensive it requires a new bridge be built at taxpayer expense?
The best thing to happen to the coast of NC will be when Marc Basnight retires.
Posted by hugh![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blog.news-record.com/staff/letters/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 29, 2005 7:59 AM
Hugh, Mark this day on your calender for I'm sure it won't happen again anytime soon. I agree with at least part of your post. (I am not that familiar with all Basnight stands for so I am deferring comment on him.)
At $30/per person/per day, round trips to the Outer Banks would prohibit cheap labor for contractors. And since even the condos start at about $500-750,000 and homes in excess of a cool million, buying property remains a luxery for the rich and famous. Heck, renting is out of the question for most of us.
So why should any tax monies be spent to benefit the few wealthy enough to live there? No tax subsidized ferrys and no bridges built with taxpayers money.
Greed has developed the Outer Banks and created problems they now want NC taxpayers to solve. I say let greed take care of it's own. Of course, I'm not very optimistic in regards to that happening.
Posted by Yvonne![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blog.news-record.com/staff/letters/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 29, 2005 9:10 AM
Armageddon, doom, dogs and cats sleeping together! I actually agree with you too! Having just returned from a Thanksgiving weekend in Corolla, I can honestly say I am against any taxpayer supported bridge to Currituck Banks. Even the locals oppose the bridge idea. Over thirty years ago, Orrin Pilkey warned against development of that area and that went unheeded. Ferries? I am not so sure yet.
Marc Basnight? He has done for the Banks, what no other political player has ever done---gotten good roads and plenty of pork. He is no different than Tom DeLay other than his pond is smaller.
Posted by DemonDeacon![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blog.news-record.com/staff/letters/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 30, 2005 8:18 AM