October 31, 2012. Reality TV Magazine photo
Friday, May 24: The President will tour the damage to the shore and see how the recovery effort is going. The exact locations of his visit have not been announced. He was last here on October 31, 2012, two days after Sandy hit. So far, FEMA has spend over $1 billion on restoration efforts in addition to $1.3 billion on families affected by the storm, according to the Asbury Park Press this morning.
re : The President visiting AP on Tuesday: AP looks pretty good. But, I hope the President is not only touring the towns that have been rebuilt…he needs to see our OG, which is still in poor shape. He should go where help is still needed…just sayin’
The speculative issue of whether Neptune Twp might consider taking over the boardwalk in the future is not the subject of this post, so we will not carry that line of discussion any further at this point.
To our readers: Please try to stick to the subject of the current post. This is one reason why a comment may not be published. Thanks, Paul
Simply, after the 90’s storm, the rules regarding FEMA pay outs changed, this is documented and can be referenced.
Is the boardwalk a profitable thing? Or do they break even after maintenance, repairs and paying staff? If they are breaking even or in the red, why would the town want to take on that responsibility?
I made the point earlier on that the Boardwalk Pavillion issue was part of the reason FEMA denied the CMA. I was poo-poo’d that issue had nothing to do with the denial. But I still question that it does. You can’t have it both ways, OGCMA.
Penny – The difference is that those other towns own their boardwalks – Neptune does not. Beach fees in Belmar can help offset costs elsewhere – ie, they can help alleviate the tax burden. OG beach fees go to the CMA.
Antiquated CMA-driven blue laws make people more likely to park in OG and dine in AP, where they don’t have to BYOB. An honest and serious question – is the CMA a net tax winner for Neptune or a net loser? I don’t know but would like to hear a fact/data based answer to the question.
Also, it’s my understanding that the CMA got funding after the early 90s Nor easter for repairs to the b’walk, auditorium, etc, by arguing – successfully – that despite the CMA’s mission/religious background, they were public facilities, open to the public for both secular and non-secular purposes. In between then and Sandy, certain members of the CMA made it clear that these facilities weren’t open to all members of the public, due to religious beliefs. Fool me once…?
No, we are not Thomas.
But you do have to admit there has been some right-wing stuff.
Now that we know that the IRS has been targeting conservative and Christian organizations, such as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Catholic League, why should we not suspect FEMA of turning Ocean Grove down because of similar bias?
Here’s a link:
http://www.examiner.com/list/christian-organizations-targeted-by-the-irs/catholic-league
Is there proof that the CMA was targeted? No, but once you get a Federal agency like the IRS singling out groups according to their beliefs, then you have every reason to suspect that possibility within other government bureaucracies such as FEMA.
Recently the New York Times said that Ocean Grove was a Methodist enclave within Neptune Township. Maybe FEMA thinks that our entire town is a right-wing Christian organization.
Hopefully the President will consider that the citizens of Ocean Grove have been treated unfairly by the FEMA denial. Seaside Heights, Belmar and other shore towns have completed boardwalks. Belmar’s is over one mile long.
We in Ocean Grove also are tax payers and deserve to get our boardwalk restored with Federal aid. The reasons for the denial are unacceptable, and it is time for FEMA to announce the funding for Ocean Grove.