This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Leave Them the Legacy

Please allow me to explain why I believe that Killingworth should buy the Venuti Property, 305 acres of beautiful and rare piece of open space.

First, $6.5 million is a lot of money. It would increase our taxes by about $150 or about 40 cents a day. Perhaps the Venuti family and the town could come to an agreement somewhere in the middle. The seller seldom gets the asking price.

The concerns of Sharon Kuhn (June 14 letter “Much Better Use”) that there are more important problems that should be taken care of, such as road conditions, etc. are surely valid.

The issue of a possible purchase of the Venuti property is of a much greater and different dimension. To understand and really appreciate the importance, we must look ahead and think long term. I urge you to visit Hammonasset Beach or Chatfield State Park on summer days. They are often filled to capacity.

Consider these facts: The population of the U.S. has increased from 132 million in 1940 to 325 million in 2017. If current trends continue the projected population of the U.S. by 2050 will increase to 438 million. Killingworth, being very close to the largest city in the U.S. will most certainly be affected.

Sadly, we have not managed to leave our children and grandchildren a better world, but we, in our small town of Killingworth, have the opportunity to at least leave them the legacy of beautiful open space. Imagine million-dollar homes on the grounds of Hammonasset Beach! It took courage and foresight to save it for future generations. Let’s not let this slip away from us.

I encourage your readers to go and vote a resounding “Yes” when this issue comes to a referendum.

Rosemarie Prelinger

Killingworth