Atlantic City Beach–it’s free. Internet photo.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net –
In a recent Blogfinger post (below). we discussed the idea that all NJ ocean beaches should be free as they are in most other states such as California and Florida. The article below (link) says that the poor of Neptune, often people of color, are discriminated against because they stay home due to the high cost of admission. This discrimination is much more important than the fussing about beach badges as seen in a Barbara Burns letter to the Coaster editor on March 30, 2023.
The State of NJ. keeps a list of free beaches, and some are around here such as in Middletown, Keansburg and Highlands.
The cost of going to BBB’s—beach badge beaches— vary. Some Jersey towns are fairly inexpensive. Others allow seniors over 65 to go on for free. Asbury Park allows fishermen to go on for free. Some towns have very inexpensive season badges.
New Jersey beaches like OG and Asbury are particularly attractive to tourists who are not tax paying citizens, so it wouldn’t make sense to allow free access, unless only the locals get to go for free. We don’t know how states like California manage to keep their beaches free. Maybe it’s their high taxes, but we also have high taxes.
Some towns offer free parking while others have paid parking. We have no parking in OG. OG citizens usually walk to the beach, so we don’t contribute to the out of town beach goers travail. The CMA says that their beach income goes totally to beach operation, but is that really true? How about letting OG citizens get on for free?
Note that there has been talk lately to make beach access free at the Jersy Shore: Here is a recent quote from the APP:
” Over the years, some non-Shore lawmakers have said enough is enough. A number of bills have come and gone that would have made the beaches free or cut the fees to $2. Considering the clout Shore lawmakers have in Trenton, plan on beach fees for a long time to come.”
There are those who enjoy the challenge of sneaking by badge checkers. But some are very strict and even have police prowling around looking for sneakies. In some beach towns the checkers are seasoned adults, and they don’t fall for tricks, but others have green teenagers who can be snookered or Snookied.
www.lehighvalleylive.com/entertainment/2018/07/you_know_you_want_to_sneak_ont.html
Blogfinger has often investigated our badge checkers, but we do so with a cheerful approach. Here is one such piece from last year:
MARQUIS:
There can never be free beaches in Ocean Grove.
It’s a question of who will pay for the overall services required to operate the beach.
Who will pay to maintain a boardwalk?
Who will pay to maintain restrooms?
Who will pay to operate a program of lifeguards?
Who will pay the necessary insurance?
Of course, the public will pay.
As the old saying goes…”There is no free lunch”
The best solution is to pay for what you buy or what you choose to use . Making me pay for what you choose to buy or use is called socialism and is the very reason thousands of families fled Europe and are now fleeing South American countries.
Kevin. The solution can be to establish a public beach commission whose mandate would be to run the beachfront without hidden agendas, financial gains or establishment of any religion….and without any resultant increase in taxes.
Let’s put it to a state vote, those that want free beaches, their taxes can go up to pay for the services, those that want pay as you use, their taxes will remain the same.
Then we will see who really want free beaches. Don’t make me pay for your decision to use the beach
It’s too bad that there isn’t even one free ocean beach in Monmouth County. According to Baykeeper, “Raritan Bay is still the 14th most polluted waterway in the nation.”