THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996 TAG: 9609200012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 38 lines
I was intrigued to read the recent self-serving letter from the bridge corporation pointing out its efforts to serve the residents of the Eastern Shore.
It is the Great Southern Barrier that keeps Northampton the poorest county in the state of Virginia, with a mean family income of $12,000 a year in spite of being located minutes from the largest job market in the state.
It is the Great Southern Barrier that has turned the Shore into a de-facto part of the state of Maryland, forcing the residents to drive to Maryland for all goods and services and, in the process, enriching the coffers of that state.
While our local hospital does an outstanding job, it is a small hospital in an extremely poor region and cannot hope to cope with all medical situations that will arise, again forcing residents to drive to Maryland to seek additional help.
Similarly, our local community college has to live with the fact that almost all of its graduates will be forced to leave the Shore and their families, if they wish to take advantage of the knowledge and skills that they have gained.
This Barrier policy has nothing to do with corporate income, since Shore residents contribute less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the $100 million-plus annual income. Rather, it results from an obsession - held by a small but very powerful minority - that, each day, hungry hordes (mostly criminals) gather at the southern end of the Barrier clamoring to invade and destroy the Eastern Shore.
My personal experience in talking to Hampton Roads people is that the vast majority of them have never been to the Eastern Shore and couldn't care less! Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of residents on the Shore have been held hostage by this quaint belief for the last 30 years.
WALTER H. REIMANN
Franktown, Sept. 13, 1996 by CNB