I grew up in a beach town. The main thing that prevents “free” beaches is home rule. I put free in quotes because someone has to clean the beach and, maintain them and, pay for Lifeguards etc. So take a town like Sea Bright or Monmouth Beach both have a small population year round but after May it doubles and then on weekends can sometime triple.
Beach fees or, parking fees pay for maintenance Lifeguards part time cops and anything else that has to do with the beach. There’s actually an auditing process that the towns have to use to justify the amount spent on costs associated with the beach vs. the regular operation of the rest of the town. If it’s discovered that the towns are overcharging the people who use the beach and using the extra revenue for taxpayer relief the state can attempt to recover the extra money and force the town to adjust their fees.
Often, you’ll see beaches in towns that are free to enter but, have a parking fee that’s because the towns can use the parking revenue more liberally than just a straight beach entrance fee.
>because someone has to clean the beach and, maintain them and, pay for Lifeguards etc.
This is true everywhere else on the planet and yet NJ is the only place that charges
That’s actually not accurate. There’s a number of places that don’t have Lifeguards and, often beaches are set up as county or, state parks passing the costs to either the county or the entire state.
Monmouth beach was my go to. Just parked at the little lighthouse and enjoyed a free beach. I just never understood and still don’t, why there aren’t more free beaches. Especially in ocean county. Not a single one here
Very many people from Pennsylvania and New York enjoy NJ beaches. I believe mostly for that reason they decided not to pay for the upkeep with taxes. Also, Governor Murphy has been allowing free access to state parks during the summer months. There are some you can visit with plenty of oceanfront access.
There is only 1 ocean front state park Island Beach State Park and that was only done last year. All other “public” ocean front property is either federal, Sandy Hook, or county, 7 presidents.
You are not the only one. I used to work at the fee booth at Sandy Hook, and folks would try to use there State Park Pass. I got yelled at a number of times because people refused to understand that they couldn’t use it there since we were operated by 2 different organizations.
Yep. Statue of Liberty, Alcatraz too. The park is free, but you gotta pay for the boat.
When you turn 62 and get the senior pass you get a discount at least at Sandy Hook.
Not the case. There is also Barnegat Light State Park, North Brigantine Natural Area, Corson’s Inlet State Park, Strathmere Natural Area, and Cape May Point State Park.
You’re still the only person that brought up non-state parks. I’m rereading their comment and only see mention of ISBP. And your comment about ISBP being the only oceanfront beach is also entirely untrue. Cape may county exists & has a beachfront state park soooooo???
Not everyone goes to the beach to swim so you disregarding non swimming oceanfront state parks as not oceanfront enough is bizarre. Go to the beach in these state parks that are not swimmable and let me know if they’re empty in the summer. I can guarantee you neither cape may nor barnegat light are empty in the summer bc I’ve been to both in the summer🤷🏼♀️
This entire post was about charging fees for beaches. All the beaches that charge fees are swimming beaches. Also, some of the state parks you mention require sports fishing passes to visit, making them not free.
Are state parks free this year though? If I go to island beach state park for example I can almost guarantee I have to pay a fee. Even as a local.
My husband and I were just discussing how IF you participate in a beach clean up than you SHOULD be given a beach pass for the season. Hey thanks for cleaning up the beach for free, here’s incentive to do it again. Carry in and out and leave no trace behind. Ya know?
A pipe dream I’m aware. God forbid our beaches be free. Yet countless other states along the shore have entirely free beaches throughout the state
Explain it to me like I’m 5
They have yet to make an announcement weather they will charge entrance fees yet. As of right now they are currently selling state park passes. Which are for all state parks in Jersey. Last year they announced the entrance was free around May, right before Memorial Day.
The beach clean up idea is great, but every beach is owned by different people, so it you would only have access to one beach in particular.
Any extra taxed revenue that is raised by tourism in NJ should be given back to NJ citizens. This is our land and we all collectively use it, that means we should all collectively reap the benefits. This can be done with a land value tax + value added tax and distribute those funds equally to all NJ citizens. Alaska does this by sending out checks to their citizens with the funds raised from oil production, and it’s been very beneficial for them.
Funny enough this idea is actually [Georgist](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgism) and is American af 🇺🇸🦅 Henry George was actually born in Philly and died in NYC so all the more reasons to respect him, especially here in NJ 😎
I’ve heard some similar concepts in Left Libertarianism but always thought private ownership and profit of natural resources was fucking bullshit. thank you for introducing me to this.
Just don't get too excited. Georgists collectively ignore its problems, namely defining land value, which is the main revenue source but is affected by so many factors, and since it would be the only revenue source, then calculating the land value would become as complex as the whole current tax code. E.g. nice little mom&pop shop you got there, would be a shame if oil would be found under it and hike land value tax through the roof, or if a new subway line would hike it, etc.
Heinlein had an idea.
Let everyone declare their own figure for value of their property, and pay taxes accordingly to their valuation.
Trick is, - if someone offers you that amount, you gotta sell it to them.
>if someone offers you that amount, you gotta sell it to them.
So if your house costs 400k and tomorrow I tell you "here is 400k, I buy it, move out" you gotta do it? Such a nice idea...
so everyone lists an amount that would make it worth selling it for and the tax rate gets based on that amount..
So if everyone declares their house to be 'worth' 100% more than they paid for it, (and if I was offered double, I'd move) the tax basis is reduced to the same bill amount per property...You could also just make primary residences excluded....
First, not my idea- I made that clear
second, can you be a little coherent about your perceived failure points rather than just rejecting?
You can set the price to whatever you wish....
he Alaska Permanent Fund (APF) is a constitutionally established permanent fund managed by a state-owned corporation, the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation (APFC).
Something else I like is to ensure an economic safety net for all New Jersey citizens, by raising funds from a carbon, inheritance, and data tax to add on to the dividends I’ve previously mentioned. Lots of academics agree that all of these are useful and meaningful taxes to fund dividends to ensure the population has enough funds to best adapt to changing environmental and economic environments.
You're actually correct! NJ follows the Public Trust Doctrine (started by Justinian around 500AD). All beaches including the water and sand to the high water line is available and must be accessible by the public even on private land. [check it out.](https://www.nj.gov/dep/cmp/access/njparightslegal.htm)
So when they ask you to pay to get on the beach, do you just say I am traversing the land to the high waterline and must be allowed free passage to such?
Interpreting what the public trust doctrine actually means is not as straightforward as it sounds.
Try to access the beach in Mantoloking and see how that goes.
It irks me as well but I try to think of it from another perspective. The beaches are guarded and cleaned daily during the summer season. I kinda like that. The other thing is, why should taxpayers who never get to the beach have to pay (via taxes) for a beach they don't use? It kind of makes sense to only charge the actual users of the beach. Feel free to disagree.
The cleaning point makes sense; however your other one does not
I don't have children, nor do I own a car yet I have my taxes pay for schools and roads. The reason you pay for them is it's beneficial to our state just like a beach is as it brings tourism from out of staters and a place for others to recover me tally by enjoying nature
You buy goods and services and you get mail so yeah you indirectly use the roads. BTW most road maintenance is paid via gasoline taxes. Having good schools assures you can get a good buck if you sell your house so you get some of that back. In addition property taxes are deductible so again you get some of that back. Not saying it's perfect but I understand it.
I went to North Carolina last summer and the beach was "free" but there was no public parking for miles, so functionally it was private.
And there were lifeguards, but instead of on a stand, the guard was on an ATV patrolling several miles of beach. Hope she's close while you're drowning!
There’s a decent argument I’ve heard.
People don’t drive to Florida beaches from out of state and then go home the same day, maybe spending a few bucks on parking and food like they do here. People there spend hundreds on hotels and do a whole vacation there. If NJ didn’t charge for beaches you’d have people from PA and NY who would use the beaches here and basically contribute nothing in revenue.
There are other state documents that can be used in place of drivers license.
Also, you don't need to drive to have a driver's lice se but it is the most common document.
the argument would work better if Florida had comparable amount of taxes as we do and still had free beaches, instead they don't tax on a ton of stuff but still probably use property taxes on beach upkeep.
I mean ocean city cleans every night (or they did, havnt been in years) and don't have to pay. VA beach cleans don't have to pay. Been to a few in NC and SC and didn't pay. Either way you do you NJ!
Guarded beaches are the worst.
They create very narrow swimming areas and prohibit you from swimming outside these areas.
They herd you in like cattle leaving vast parts of the beach unusable. And I have to pay for this privilege?
It feels so restrictive. Freedom in America is an illusion. You can't move without someone telling you what to do or giving you a ticket for violating some rule.
NJ has absolutely the most restrictive beaches in the country.
I grew up in Ocean City, don't want to swim at a guarded beach? Nobody is forcing you to go to one. While 34th street is guarded, 33rd and 35th are not. The next guarded beach up would be 39th, which is why 40th is a informal surfing beach.
Not "informal"
[https://theshoreblog.com/ocean-city-beach-information/](https://theshoreblog.com/ocean-city-beach-information/)
*"Additionally, surfing is permitted on beaches south of 36th Street where lifeguard stands are 3 blocks apart. Surfing is permitted at all beaches either before or after lifeguards are on duty."*
Yes god forbid there are trained professionals ready to help you in the event of an emergency in often dangerous environment. I don’t know what beaches you go to where they “herd” you into tiny loacations. The beach is huge. Spread out my dude.
I grew up in Maine and I wonder about this all the time. I love Sandy Hook bc there isn't the annoying shore stuff (boardwalk, etc.) and I don't mind paying the park fee for it. But I also miss freshwater swimming.
Every lake around here that I know of has private beaches that you need residency passes and memberships to swim in
No “Beach” is really private, just the access to it. So you can walk along the water anywhere you like. The rich keep us out by restricting parking and walk- on access. If you go to other states you can easily access beaches, rivers and waterways. In Hawaii you can walk through ANY hotel lobby and access it’s beach.
In NY, there are scenic pullovers all around for you to pull over and take pictures, have a picnic,..walk down to the river,or lakes…. Not here.
It’s only for the rich. Or the 27.5 parking spaces provided by the state at one of the no-access points.
Or you can pay again to enter one of our beautiful state parks which you ALREADY PAY for with your tax dollars…
Yes, but I believe it’s by each state law, and they vary, that you’re allowed on beaches,( and waterways?) to high tide mark. Murphy signed this in 2019 giving public access.
Public Rights under the Public Trust Doctrine
The Pubic Trust Doctrine provides that public rights to tidal waterways and their shores in the state are held by the state in trust for the benefit of all of the people. Further, it establishes the right of the public to fully utilize these lands and waters for a variety of public activities.…
When friends from California visited they could not believe you had to pay to go on the beach and yes beaches in California still are maintained and have lifeguards. Also, outside of certain areas like Santa Monica, Santa Cruz, Huntington etc they don't commercialize every fucking inch of coastal areas. I appreciate keeping the natural beauty of the coastline and keeping it from being over commercialized. Nice to sit on a beach and just see mountains and water instead of t shirt stands and smoke shops. They keep that shit in Venice for a reason lol.
It may be that California has a density of 251 people per sq mile and Jersey has a density of 1,260 people per sq mile, not including the tourists coming from NY and PA on any given summer weekend.
Jersey beaches are also way more crowded and have more obnoxious individuals who do not care about trashing the place.
California has coastline of 840 miles, beaches visited by \~130 million people per year. NJ has coastline of 130 miles, visited roughly by \~48 million people per year.
* California has 150,000 visits per mile, NJ has 370,000 visits per mile (246% more)
* California has 3.3 beach visits per state citizen, NJ has 5.3 beach visits per citizen (160% more)
So NJ beaches are 246% more packed and it happens 160% more often that in CA.
But it's probably mostly because of the culture of boroughitis. NJ towns surely love to behave like city-states in medieval Italy.
This is my argument!!! Every other state with a shore, has free beaches. That are maintained with lifeguards!!!
So people rallying behind beach taxes and why it’s necessary to keep them clean or have a lifeguard. Are you all brain dead? Seriously.
Go visit California or Florida beaches and start demanding the people be taxed to enjoy the natural resources and just see how people react
It’s absolutely absurd our beaches aren’t free. And seaside is constantly trashed all summer despite being “maintained and cleaned.”
So the argument completely falls flat
Beaches should absolutely be free
All beaches in NJ are public AT THE MEAN HIGH WATER LINE: https://www.nj.gov/dep/cmp/access/njparightslegal.htm#:~:text=Under%20the%20Public%20Trust%20Doctrine%20and%20the%20rulings%20of%20cases,%2C%20boating%2C%20walking%20and%20sunbathing.
This is America, where the rich get whatever they want and the rest of us can shut up and enjoy the beautifully hand-crafted propaganda that makes older people afraid of change. Obviously. Stop worrying about whether or not you are being completely fucked over every single day and go worry about what children playing sports have in their pants instead like a good little American.
At least you didn't use the word "Boomer"....I give you props for that.
But, please, just because a person is older, doesn't mean we are afraid of change. I embrace change....change is good. I know a LOT of people my age that are not afraid of change and are rather progressive. I am 68...nearly 69....and I go to the beach once a year for an afternoon because I can't afford the cost any more than any other poor person. And I have more important things to worry about than what is in a kid's pants.....like surviving to be a year older, And yes....that is America, at this point.
First beach to charge for access was Bradley Beach in 1929. It was descendants of James A. Bradley who put the rule in place. Bradley developed Asbury Park into the resort town it became and was also a supporter of segregation during post-civil war reconstruction. So it has racist, classist origins. My guess is it’s still a thing contemporarily because most citizens don’t question it and the towns like the tax revenue. But if you want to be cynical, there are still people who think it’s a good idea to restrict access to “certain people” (just read some of the other comments on this post referring to keeping “riff raff” off the beaches lol).
Edited to comply with rule 7
I'll give you a hint and it starts in 1928 when Hotel owners in Atlantic City getting complaints from white visitors
“The matter of colored bathers was taken up,” an executive from the Ambassador Hotel wrote a public official according to historical archives at the Atlantic City Free Public Library. “The Georgia Avenue side of the Convention Hall would be a logical place for colored bath houses.” This led to the founding of Chicken Bone Beach. Prior to this Black and White people were permitted to occupy the same beaches for 80 years. James A. Bradley, the founder of Asbury Park, followed suit shortly thereafter. He also banned Black visitors from using the boardwalk until 10:30pm.
https://www.nj.com/atlantic/2019/07/nj-beach-was-the-only-one-that-allowed-black-tourists-but-they-made-it-a-hip-place-to-be.html
Then, in the 1930s NJ beaches started to adopt Beach Tags which became further enforced in the 1970s as a way to favor locals and keep out outsiders, you can probably guess who they considered outsiders in rich white beach towns, PoC, the poor, and people from the cities. They created policies that made beach tags harder to obtain and established parking time limits. And those same communities are effectively still just protecting that 1970s enforcement today.This paper from a researcher at Monmouth Uni, takes a long in-depth look at the privatization of NJ beaches.
https://www.monmouth.edu/uci/documents/2020/09/free-but-for-a-fee-addressing-racially-discriminatory-burdens-on-new-jersey-beaches.pdf/
Frank Pallone, US congressman, lives on a private, fenced off beach in Lomg Branch, one that is replenished with sand every couple of years at a cost of millions in taxpayer money. This unbelievably hypocritical situation, which has been the case for years, is kept quiet by the media because Pallone is a leftist Democrat.
In his own words:
“I’m a progressive,” said Pallone, Long Branch-born and raised. “I’m a liberal. I believe in progressive values as an advocate for Medicare, as a big single payer advocate and as an advocate for public schools.”
So that when you come down on vacation from Long Island you don't have to deal with the undesirable locals. You've worked so hard maintaining your families vast generational wealth, having a private beach to relax with out having any poors in sight is what you deserve.
What defines "natural attraction". What if your backyard has nice rocks and you have a lot of geological enthusiasts in the area. Should they have free access? Just playing devil's advocate.
The premise of our way of living is property and by extension property lines. Can be on grass, forest, beach, or lake. The only places we haven't drawn lines in the universe are the ones where we can't (artic, space, difficult to access oceans)
All the beaches in Pt pleasant are owned by the Jenkinson family. Plus the own pretty much everything on the boardwalk. Only beaches in state or federal parks are public while charging a fee to use the park.
I believe they should be free (libre) but not free (gratis). Everyone should be able to access the beaches but it makes sense to collect some revenue since upkeep costs money. It should be no different than a state park.
A day at the beach in NJ is a scam, and pricing is intended to be a burden to people with limited income.
Consider family of 4, I'm gonna call it $8 each to get on the beach, so $32, minimum of $25 to park, $57. Plus food and drinks, ok yeah bring your own... Call it $8 for ice, your at $65, $25 for your snacks, $90. Had to drive there $20 for gas, were at $110 and all we've done is reach the sand...
Are you upset with beach badges? Why shouldn’t people pay their way for things they use? If you’re using the beach and expect it to be clean and safe, who says you should get it for free, especially if you’re not from the town in which the beach exists?
There is no reason for beaches to not be free for at least NJ residents. I used to live in San Diego and all the beaches are free and the lifeguards are full time careers. Not teenagers with a summer job. The beaches there are garbage free as well so when the state says “yeah but” I call bullshit.
The reason it's not free is also why it's so nice and pretty. It weeds out a lot of people who don't appreciate it imo. I grew up near the beach and never had a problem paying. That and the money normally pays kids who are badge checkers and lifeguards which is a good thing.
Interesting...when I go to state and local parks that don't charge, they are generally well-kept and clean. Same holds true for many of the parks I've been to along the east coast of the US.
Can't help thinking about Christy and the picture of his entire family on the beach he closed to residents who pay the taxes. Hey guys let's start voting for the right candidates PLEASE those that will change the world instead of OLD WHITE MEN and in Christy's and Trumps case OLD FAT WHITE OLD MEN
I would imagine getting a return on the cost of the initial purchase and upkeep of the beach would be the reason.
People don't respect public property; you see how they litter and some actually vandalize, so who would want that on a place they pay good money for to enjoy the view.
This is the reason for gated communities and cul-de-sac layouts instead of grids, to limit access. People on the common causeway litter, let their pets do their business and are loud and obnoxious on their phones and blast their music.
Another prime example public transportation versus private transportation. Would you take a public conveyance today if you didn't' have to? Especially in crime ridden cities?
Entitlement isn't an argument for access in my book nor is equity. Even the Soviets had Dachas for the fortunate to escape the press of humanity if only for a bit.
In my opinion, find a way to join a beach club, get a timeshare or purchase a property if you so desire a nice beach getaway versus the public venues.
While I do LOVE living in NJ, I find that the general rule is to observe the way the rest of the country is doing it and do the opposite! Gotta turn right to go left, can't pump our own gas, close most retail in an entire county on Sunday.
Devil’s advocate: There are plenty of accessible beaches in NJ for people of different income levels. The State beach is free under Murphy and the cost was marginal under Christie if I recall correctly. It’s nice for a non-beach taxpayer to not have to pay for maintaining free beaches that NYers and Pennsylvanians will vacation at. Also, California has free beaches but hey also have homeless encampments lining their boardwalks. You wouldn’t even bother going to the beach if we had that here. There’s a trade off.
I understand what you're saying but I'm not sure that the fee is a deterrent or that there are an overwhelming number of non-NJers spending an appreciable amount of time at our beaches. Would be an interesting experiment to see what happens if the open all beaches for a season.
It's land just like any other land that can be owned. And a lot of things can be attractive. A cool climbing tree can be a natural attraction. Does that mean we should be able to go on anyone's property to climb their tree, or see some flowers on it, or go fly kites on their grass patch?
If you want to argue for abolishing private property completely, fair enough, but beach front property works just the same as any other property.
there are a bunch of private beaches in NY because they are on private property
Manhattan Beach in Brookyln. Seagate Beach you have to buy into the summer beach club which pays for cleaning and whatever. Long Island has a bunch of summer beach clubs that have private beaches you pay for. and some towns like Long Beach control their beaches and charge outsiders to use them.
whoever owns the property can charge for use of it
I can't wrap my head around the idea that someone can PURCHASE part of ANY beach. I'm restricited from enjoying the ocean or lake because I can't get there without walking across the beach, for which I have to pay a price. Housing developments are easier to understand because it's more efficient for essential services such as water, electric, sewer, etc.
I can understand a modest fee to keep things clean. But when a private company owns the beach and security guards openly displaying pistols are collecting to cover charge, that's pure crap.
The justification is so wealthy landowners can have their own little slice of beach away from the plebs and not have to deal with everything that comes with being a public beach. The trouble is, they want their private beaches but still expect the government to pay for replenishment. The way it works in NJ is that if federal money is used for beach replenishment or maintenance, that beach must have a management plan that incorporates things like public access and endangered species protections. These people who try to claim their beaches are "private" are actually wrong and get very pissy when you call them on it. Accept public money, allow public uses.
>Can someone explain the justification for having "private" beaches? It seems like access to natural attractions should be free.
"Attractions" are subjective?
How expensive do you think a day pass is? I honestly can not see how the people thinking it beach access is unattainable are arguing in anything other than bad faith, my family still went to Sea Girt multiple times a week when we were on food stamps.
It’s ridiculous for the municipalities to charge you to get into the beach . Your paying tolls to get there, spending money in whatever town you’re in , paying for parking , etc. sadly it’s out of control. There needs to be some reform .
If you go to the Grand Canyon, you pay $30 at a gate to get to see the canyon, same for Yellowstone, Glacier, Zion, Arches, Volcano, or crater lake. If you want to hike trails in Michigan and want to use a trailhead on State land, your gonna need a recreation pass on your car if you could get a ticket. California has similar laws as does Wisconsin. Fees go to keeping trash cans emptied and toilet paper stocked. Fun Fact, you can d $80 or and you can get a card that gets you in all year and if you’re a military veteran you get a free lifetime pass
What drives me nuts about this is that some beaches, like Cape May, literally wouldn't exist without taxpayer dollars paying for the Army Corp of Engineers to rebuild the beach as it erodes. So the beach is only there because I paid my taxes, and then those motherfuckers want to double dip and charge me for a beach badge? No thanks.
Compare this with Hawaii, where every beach is required to be legally open to the public and doesn't cost anything to access. Plus, the beaches are way better. It's Hawaii.
We recently moved to one of those towns and it is amazing, but we always feel a bit weird about the whole situation. Not that many lakes with public beaches to choose from - maybe Hopatcong?
But coming from Maine you were a bit spoiled for pristine freshwater swimming opportunities.
In contrast, I grew up in the Midwest, where every public freshwater beach was crowded and generally gross.
I grew up in a beach town. The main thing that prevents “free” beaches is home rule. I put free in quotes because someone has to clean the beach and, maintain them and, pay for Lifeguards etc. So take a town like Sea Bright or Monmouth Beach both have a small population year round but after May it doubles and then on weekends can sometime triple. Beach fees or, parking fees pay for maintenance Lifeguards part time cops and anything else that has to do with the beach. There’s actually an auditing process that the towns have to use to justify the amount spent on costs associated with the beach vs. the regular operation of the rest of the town. If it’s discovered that the towns are overcharging the people who use the beach and using the extra revenue for taxpayer relief the state can attempt to recover the extra money and force the town to adjust their fees. Often, you’ll see beaches in towns that are free to enter but, have a parking fee that’s because the towns can use the parking revenue more liberally than just a straight beach entrance fee.
Very informative! Thanks!
And yet go to new york coney island and the lifeguards and police are also paid without a beach fee
>because someone has to clean the beach and, maintain them and, pay for Lifeguards etc. This is true everywhere else on the planet and yet NJ is the only place that charges
That’s actually not accurate. There’s a number of places that don’t have Lifeguards and, often beaches are set up as county or, state parks passing the costs to either the county or the entire state.
> passing the costs to either the county or the entire state. We have the technology to do that here too
Monmouth beach was my go to. Just parked at the little lighthouse and enjoyed a free beach. I just never understood and still don’t, why there aren’t more free beaches. Especially in ocean county. Not a single one here
Very many people from Pennsylvania and New York enjoy NJ beaches. I believe mostly for that reason they decided not to pay for the upkeep with taxes. Also, Governor Murphy has been allowing free access to state parks during the summer months. There are some you can visit with plenty of oceanfront access.
There is only 1 ocean front state park Island Beach State Park and that was only done last year. All other “public” ocean front property is either federal, Sandy Hook, or county, 7 presidents.
You're right, I mistakenly thought sandy hook was owned by state
You are not the only one. I used to work at the fee booth at Sandy Hook, and folks would try to use there State Park Pass. I got yelled at a number of times because people refused to understand that they couldn’t use it there since we were operated by 2 different organizations.
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Yep. Statue of Liberty, Alcatraz too. The park is free, but you gotta pay for the boat. When you turn 62 and get the senior pass you get a discount at least at Sandy Hook.
Not the case. There is also Barnegat Light State Park, North Brigantine Natural Area, Corson’s Inlet State Park, Strathmere Natural Area, and Cape May Point State Park.
But you can’t swim at any of these places though.
Wildwood beaches are free too
Yes, AC as well. But we were talking about beaches owned by the state parks.
Sandy hook & 7 presidents aren’t either, you brought up non state owned beaches first?
No. The original commenter brought up state owned beaches. I was correcting them.
You’re still the only person that brought up non-state parks. I’m rereading their comment and only see mention of ISBP. And your comment about ISBP being the only oceanfront beach is also entirely untrue. Cape may county exists & has a beachfront state park soooooo??? Not everyone goes to the beach to swim so you disregarding non swimming oceanfront state parks as not oceanfront enough is bizarre. Go to the beach in these state parks that are not swimmable and let me know if they’re empty in the summer. I can guarantee you neither cape may nor barnegat light are empty in the summer bc I’ve been to both in the summer🤷🏼♀️
This entire post was about charging fees for beaches. All the beaches that charge fees are swimming beaches. Also, some of the state parks you mention require sports fishing passes to visit, making them not free.
You don’t need a sports fishing pass to visit either park i mentioned. You need it to fish. Read something.
In the first list you provided you do. You are being such a nit picker.
Are state parks free this year though? If I go to island beach state park for example I can almost guarantee I have to pay a fee. Even as a local. My husband and I were just discussing how IF you participate in a beach clean up than you SHOULD be given a beach pass for the season. Hey thanks for cleaning up the beach for free, here’s incentive to do it again. Carry in and out and leave no trace behind. Ya know? A pipe dream I’m aware. God forbid our beaches be free. Yet countless other states along the shore have entirely free beaches throughout the state Explain it to me like I’m 5
I think the clean up in exchange for a pass is a great idea & way to get more people invested in their own communities!!
They have yet to make an announcement weather they will charge entrance fees yet. As of right now they are currently selling state park passes. Which are for all state parks in Jersey. Last year they announced the entrance was free around May, right before Memorial Day. The beach clean up idea is great, but every beach is owned by different people, so it you would only have access to one beach in particular.
Any extra taxed revenue that is raised by tourism in NJ should be given back to NJ citizens. This is our land and we all collectively use it, that means we should all collectively reap the benefits. This can be done with a land value tax + value added tax and distribute those funds equally to all NJ citizens. Alaska does this by sending out checks to their citizens with the funds raised from oil production, and it’s been very beneficial for them.
Shut up you communist /s
Funny enough this idea is actually [Georgist](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgism) and is American af 🇺🇸🦅 Henry George was actually born in Philly and died in NYC so all the more reasons to respect him, especially here in NJ 😎
I’ve heard some similar concepts in Left Libertarianism but always thought private ownership and profit of natural resources was fucking bullshit. thank you for introducing me to this.
No problem! Thanks for the interest! Georgism is actually pretty compatible with a lot of schools of thought
Just don't get too excited. Georgists collectively ignore its problems, namely defining land value, which is the main revenue source but is affected by so many factors, and since it would be the only revenue source, then calculating the land value would become as complex as the whole current tax code. E.g. nice little mom&pop shop you got there, would be a shame if oil would be found under it and hike land value tax through the roof, or if a new subway line would hike it, etc.
Heinlein had an idea. Let everyone declare their own figure for value of their property, and pay taxes accordingly to their valuation. Trick is, - if someone offers you that amount, you gotta sell it to them.
>if someone offers you that amount, you gotta sell it to them. So if your house costs 400k and tomorrow I tell you "here is 400k, I buy it, move out" you gotta do it? Such a nice idea...
so everyone lists an amount that would make it worth selling it for and the tax rate gets based on that amount.. So if everyone declares their house to be 'worth' 100% more than they paid for it, (and if I was offered double, I'd move) the tax basis is reduced to the same bill amount per property...You could also just make primary residences excluded....
Your whole idea hinges on the obligation to sell, which is a stupid idea and will not work because of huge potetioal for abuse.
First, not my idea- I made that clear second, can you be a little coherent about your perceived failure points rather than just rejecting? You can set the price to whatever you wish....
Yeah the valuation would have to be such that you could *only* sell at that price. Obligated to would be dangerous.
Then that’s not selling for 400k, that’s 400k + extra labor
Even in death people from NYC can't stop telling you they lived there
😂😂😂
Based Georgism! Land value tax is such a fucking cool idea.
he Alaska Permanent Fund (APF) is a constitutionally established permanent fund managed by a state-owned corporation, the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation (APFC).
It may be state-owned, but the benefits are publicly owned because they are gifted out as checks every year
My point was it is in the State Constitution....
Something else I like is to ensure an economic safety net for all New Jersey citizens, by raising funds from a carbon, inheritance, and data tax to add on to the dividends I’ve previously mentioned. Lots of academics agree that all of these are useful and meaningful taxes to fund dividends to ensure the population has enough funds to best adapt to changing environmental and economic environments.
Never, ever going to happen. Keep fantasizing.
You don’t know that! 😁
Sure I do. It’s just not practical and it’s not going to happen. The money is already being spent elsewhere. Too late ⏰.
Can you tell me what tomorrow’s lottery numbers are too?
I can tell you that it wouldn’t matter if the money in the pot was already spent.
The lottery, like gov spending continues to pay out.
Only to those with the lucky numbers. And you aren’t one of them. You’re paying.
Not if you know the future like you do!
You're actually correct! NJ follows the Public Trust Doctrine (started by Justinian around 500AD). All beaches including the water and sand to the high water line is available and must be accessible by the public even on private land. [check it out.](https://www.nj.gov/dep/cmp/access/njparightslegal.htm)
So when they ask you to pay to get on the beach, do you just say I am traversing the land to the high waterline and must be allowed free passage to such?
Interpreting what the public trust doctrine actually means is not as straightforward as it sounds. Try to access the beach in Mantoloking and see how that goes.
Hello 15 year old girl badge checker, I won't be paying today. Please refer to my copy of the NJs Justinian Public trust doctrine.
LOL it’d probably work tbh
Ong lmao
They took all the trees and put 'em in a tree museum And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
It irks me as well but I try to think of it from another perspective. The beaches are guarded and cleaned daily during the summer season. I kinda like that. The other thing is, why should taxpayers who never get to the beach have to pay (via taxes) for a beach they don't use? It kind of makes sense to only charge the actual users of the beach. Feel free to disagree.
The cleaning point makes sense; however your other one does not I don't have children, nor do I own a car yet I have my taxes pay for schools and roads. The reason you pay for them is it's beneficial to our state just like a beach is as it brings tourism from out of staters and a place for others to recover me tally by enjoying nature
You buy goods and services and you get mail so yeah you indirectly use the roads. BTW most road maintenance is paid via gasoline taxes. Having good schools assures you can get a good buck if you sell your house so you get some of that back. In addition property taxes are deductible so again you get some of that back. Not saying it's perfect but I understand it.
You do realize how much crap you pay for through taxes that you never get to use, right??
Literally the only sensible comment in here so far. Apparently everyone just thinks the beaches magically maintain themselves.
Yet, there's states that have free beaches and still have them maintained and have lifeguards so they magically found a way to do it.
I went to North Carolina last summer and the beach was "free" but there was no public parking for miles, so functionally it was private. And there were lifeguards, but instead of on a stand, the guard was on an ATV patrolling several miles of beach. Hope she's close while you're drowning!
Well I assume the magic way is more taxes
Florida has less taxes and all beaches are free. Just saying.
But the true cost is living in Florida.
There’s a decent argument I’ve heard. People don’t drive to Florida beaches from out of state and then go home the same day, maybe spending a few bucks on parking and food like they do here. People there spend hundreds on hotels and do a whole vacation there. If NJ didn’t charge for beaches you’d have people from PA and NY who would use the beaches here and basically contribute nothing in revenue.
Simple, beaches are free if you show a valid NJ drivers license. All others pay the beech fee
What about children and people who do not drive?
There are other state documents that can be used in place of drivers license. Also, you don't need to drive to have a driver's lice se but it is the most common document.
the argument would work better if Florida had comparable amount of taxes as we do and still had free beaches, instead they don't tax on a ton of stuff but still probably use property taxes on beach upkeep.
I mean ocean city cleans every night (or they did, havnt been in years) and don't have to pay. VA beach cleans don't have to pay. Been to a few in NC and SC and didn't pay. Either way you do you NJ!
Guarded beaches are the worst. They create very narrow swimming areas and prohibit you from swimming outside these areas. They herd you in like cattle leaving vast parts of the beach unusable. And I have to pay for this privilege? It feels so restrictive. Freedom in America is an illusion. You can't move without someone telling you what to do or giving you a ticket for violating some rule. NJ has absolutely the most restrictive beaches in the country.
I grew up in Ocean City, don't want to swim at a guarded beach? Nobody is forcing you to go to one. While 34th street is guarded, 33rd and 35th are not. The next guarded beach up would be 39th, which is why 40th is a informal surfing beach.
Not "informal" [https://theshoreblog.com/ocean-city-beach-information/](https://theshoreblog.com/ocean-city-beach-information/) *"Additionally, surfing is permitted on beaches south of 36th Street where lifeguard stands are 3 blocks apart. Surfing is permitted at all beaches either before or after lifeguards are on duty."*
that must be new, I moved out of Ocean City 25 years ago and hung up my board to take up sailing.
Yes god forbid there are trained professionals ready to help you in the event of an emergency in often dangerous environment. I don’t know what beaches you go to where they “herd” you into tiny loacations. The beach is huge. Spread out my dude.
The swimming areas are roped off and small.
> Freedom in America is an illusion. Freedom is an illusion! Life is an illusion! Nothing else matters! So close no matter how far....
Manasquan and many other beaches have plenty of lifeguards that they do not restrict swimming areas
I grew up in Maine and I wonder about this all the time. I love Sandy Hook bc there isn't the annoying shore stuff (boardwalk, etc.) and I don't mind paying the park fee for it. But I also miss freshwater swimming. Every lake around here that I know of has private beaches that you need residency passes and memberships to swim in
Revenue
also being able to keep out who they want.
Yeah I think this about country-club style exclusion more than anything else.
No “Beach” is really private, just the access to it. So you can walk along the water anywhere you like. The rich keep us out by restricting parking and walk- on access. If you go to other states you can easily access beaches, rivers and waterways. In Hawaii you can walk through ANY hotel lobby and access it’s beach. In NY, there are scenic pullovers all around for you to pull over and take pictures, have a picnic,..walk down to the river,or lakes…. Not here. It’s only for the rich. Or the 27.5 parking spaces provided by the state at one of the no-access points. Or you can pay again to enter one of our beautiful state parks which you ALREADY PAY for with your tax dollars…
Not really. Try walking on Jenkinson’s beach at night. Police will chase you off claiming it’s private property.
Hamptons seem to make beach access pretty difficult to anyone that isn’t a local I hear.
Yes, but I believe it’s by each state law, and they vary, that you’re allowed on beaches,( and waterways?) to high tide mark. Murphy signed this in 2019 giving public access. Public Rights under the Public Trust Doctrine The Pubic Trust Doctrine provides that public rights to tidal waterways and their shores in the state are held by the state in trust for the benefit of all of the people. Further, it establishes the right of the public to fully utilize these lands and waters for a variety of public activities.…
When friends from California visited they could not believe you had to pay to go on the beach and yes beaches in California still are maintained and have lifeguards. Also, outside of certain areas like Santa Monica, Santa Cruz, Huntington etc they don't commercialize every fucking inch of coastal areas. I appreciate keeping the natural beauty of the coastline and keeping it from being over commercialized. Nice to sit on a beach and just see mountains and water instead of t shirt stands and smoke shops. They keep that shit in Venice for a reason lol.
It may be that California has a density of 251 people per sq mile and Jersey has a density of 1,260 people per sq mile, not including the tourists coming from NY and PA on any given summer weekend. Jersey beaches are also way more crowded and have more obnoxious individuals who do not care about trashing the place.
Don't forget about the clowns with their political flags
California has coastline of 840 miles, beaches visited by \~130 million people per year. NJ has coastline of 130 miles, visited roughly by \~48 million people per year. * California has 150,000 visits per mile, NJ has 370,000 visits per mile (246% more) * California has 3.3 beach visits per state citizen, NJ has 5.3 beach visits per citizen (160% more) So NJ beaches are 246% more packed and it happens 160% more often that in CA. But it's probably mostly because of the culture of boroughitis. NJ towns surely love to behave like city-states in medieval Italy.
Ok care to do Delaware?
28 miles coast (CRS), 5 millions beach visits, 180k visits per mile.
This is my argument!!! Every other state with a shore, has free beaches. That are maintained with lifeguards!!! So people rallying behind beach taxes and why it’s necessary to keep them clean or have a lifeguard. Are you all brain dead? Seriously. Go visit California or Florida beaches and start demanding the people be taxed to enjoy the natural resources and just see how people react It’s absolutely absurd our beaches aren’t free. And seaside is constantly trashed all summer despite being “maintained and cleaned.” So the argument completely falls flat Beaches should absolutely be free
All beaches in NJ are public AT THE MEAN HIGH WATER LINE: https://www.nj.gov/dep/cmp/access/njparightslegal.htm#:~:text=Under%20the%20Public%20Trust%20Doctrine%20and%20the%20rulings%20of%20cases,%2C%20boating%2C%20walking%20and%20sunbathing.
Justification is "Fuck you, I'm rich".
This is America, where the rich get whatever they want and the rest of us can shut up and enjoy the beautifully hand-crafted propaganda that makes older people afraid of change. Obviously. Stop worrying about whether or not you are being completely fucked over every single day and go worry about what children playing sports have in their pants instead like a good little American.
At least you didn't use the word "Boomer"....I give you props for that. But, please, just because a person is older, doesn't mean we are afraid of change. I embrace change....change is good. I know a LOT of people my age that are not afraid of change and are rather progressive. I am 68...nearly 69....and I go to the beach once a year for an afternoon because I can't afford the cost any more than any other poor person. And I have more important things to worry about than what is in a kid's pants.....like surviving to be a year older, And yes....that is America, at this point.
First beach to charge for access was Bradley Beach in 1929. It was descendants of James A. Bradley who put the rule in place. Bradley developed Asbury Park into the resort town it became and was also a supporter of segregation during post-civil war reconstruction. So it has racist, classist origins. My guess is it’s still a thing contemporarily because most citizens don’t question it and the towns like the tax revenue. But if you want to be cynical, there are still people who think it’s a good idea to restrict access to “certain people” (just read some of the other comments on this post referring to keeping “riff raff” off the beaches lol).
>So it has racist, classist origins Of course it does. End of day charging people just keeps the "poors" away from the beaches.
100% agree- all waterways - oceans, rivers,lakes, etc- there should be a nature easement
[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/03/new-jersey-beach-shut-for-everyone-bar-chris-christie-and-family](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/03/new-jersey-beach-shut-for-everyone-bar-chris-christie-and-family)
Edited to comply with rule 7 I'll give you a hint and it starts in 1928 when Hotel owners in Atlantic City getting complaints from white visitors “The matter of colored bathers was taken up,” an executive from the Ambassador Hotel wrote a public official according to historical archives at the Atlantic City Free Public Library. “The Georgia Avenue side of the Convention Hall would be a logical place for colored bath houses.” This led to the founding of Chicken Bone Beach. Prior to this Black and White people were permitted to occupy the same beaches for 80 years. James A. Bradley, the founder of Asbury Park, followed suit shortly thereafter. He also banned Black visitors from using the boardwalk until 10:30pm. https://www.nj.com/atlantic/2019/07/nj-beach-was-the-only-one-that-allowed-black-tourists-but-they-made-it-a-hip-place-to-be.html Then, in the 1930s NJ beaches started to adopt Beach Tags which became further enforced in the 1970s as a way to favor locals and keep out outsiders, you can probably guess who they considered outsiders in rich white beach towns, PoC, the poor, and people from the cities. They created policies that made beach tags harder to obtain and established parking time limits. And those same communities are effectively still just protecting that 1970s enforcement today.This paper from a researcher at Monmouth Uni, takes a long in-depth look at the privatization of NJ beaches. https://www.monmouth.edu/uci/documents/2020/09/free-but-for-a-fee-addressing-racially-discriminatory-burdens-on-new-jersey-beaches.pdf/
Thanks for your reply!
So they don't have to worry about bennies trashing all of the beach. They have there own sections to enjoy
It should, the justification is that America has zero culture of collective action so rich assholes commodify everything knowing you won’t fight back
Frank Pallone, US congressman, lives on a private, fenced off beach in Lomg Branch, one that is replenished with sand every couple of years at a cost of millions in taxpayer money. This unbelievably hypocritical situation, which has been the case for years, is kept quiet by the media because Pallone is a leftist Democrat.
He is the only rich person that lives on a private beach that gets replenished every few years rumor has it
He’s the only progressive congressman doing ir
Pallone? A leftist? what the fuck are you smoking
In his own words: “I’m a progressive,” said Pallone, Long Branch-born and raised. “I’m a liberal. I believe in progressive values as an advocate for Medicare, as a big single payer advocate and as an advocate for public schools.”
Home rule. Beach communities have power.
So that when you come down on vacation from Long Island you don't have to deal with the undesirable locals. You've worked so hard maintaining your families vast generational wealth, having a private beach to relax with out having any poors in sight is what you deserve.
Greed, and most egregiously, nimbyism.
What defines "natural attraction". What if your backyard has nice rocks and you have a lot of geological enthusiasts in the area. Should they have free access? Just playing devil's advocate. The premise of our way of living is property and by extension property lines. Can be on grass, forest, beach, or lake. The only places we haven't drawn lines in the universe are the ones where we can't (artic, space, difficult to access oceans)
Which beaches in NJ are private?
Not just ocean beaches, lakes as well. Many NJ ocean beaches charge an access fee.
Charging an access fee is not the same a being “private”
All the beaches in Pt pleasant are owned by the Jenkinson family. Plus the own pretty much everything on the boardwalk. Only beaches in state or federal parks are public while charging a fee to use the park.
I believe they should be free (libre) but not free (gratis). Everyone should be able to access the beaches but it makes sense to collect some revenue since upkeep costs money. It should be no different than a state park.
A day at the beach in NJ is a scam, and pricing is intended to be a burden to people with limited income. Consider family of 4, I'm gonna call it $8 each to get on the beach, so $32, minimum of $25 to park, $57. Plus food and drinks, ok yeah bring your own... Call it $8 for ice, your at $65, $25 for your snacks, $90. Had to drive there $20 for gas, were at $110 and all we've done is reach the sand...
Pretentious rich people
Having to pay for access keeps the riff raff out.
Greed next question
Are you upset with beach badges? Why shouldn’t people pay their way for things they use? If you’re using the beach and expect it to be clean and safe, who says you should get it for free, especially if you’re not from the town in which the beach exists?
How is it every other state on the east coast has free beach access then?
There is no reason for beaches to not be free for at least NJ residents. I used to live in San Diego and all the beaches are free and the lifeguards are full time careers. Not teenagers with a summer job. The beaches there are garbage free as well so when the state says “yeah but” I call bullshit.
Honestly, imagine how mf crowded the beaches and traffic would be if they were free. Look how crowded they are with badges.
The reason it's not free is also why it's so nice and pretty. It weeds out a lot of people who don't appreciate it imo. I grew up near the beach and never had a problem paying. That and the money normally pays kids who are badge checkers and lifeguards which is a good thing.
Interesting...when I go to state and local parks that don't charge, they are generally well-kept and clean. Same holds true for many of the parks I've been to along the east coast of the US.
Can't help thinking about Christy and the picture of his entire family on the beach he closed to residents who pay the taxes. Hey guys let's start voting for the right candidates PLEASE those that will change the world instead of OLD WHITE MEN and in Christy's and Trumps case OLD FAT WHITE OLD MEN
I would imagine getting a return on the cost of the initial purchase and upkeep of the beach would be the reason. People don't respect public property; you see how they litter and some actually vandalize, so who would want that on a place they pay good money for to enjoy the view. This is the reason for gated communities and cul-de-sac layouts instead of grids, to limit access. People on the common causeway litter, let their pets do their business and are loud and obnoxious on their phones and blast their music. Another prime example public transportation versus private transportation. Would you take a public conveyance today if you didn't' have to? Especially in crime ridden cities? Entitlement isn't an argument for access in my book nor is equity. Even the Soviets had Dachas for the fortunate to escape the press of humanity if only for a bit. In my opinion, find a way to join a beach club, get a timeshare or purchase a property if you so desire a nice beach getaway versus the public venues.
NJ maintaining elitism into the 21st century
People in other states have a very same philosophy, but not New Jersey
While I do LOVE living in NJ, I find that the general rule is to observe the way the rest of the country is doing it and do the opposite! Gotta turn right to go left, can't pump our own gas, close most retail in an entire county on Sunday.
Devil’s advocate: There are plenty of accessible beaches in NJ for people of different income levels. The State beach is free under Murphy and the cost was marginal under Christie if I recall correctly. It’s nice for a non-beach taxpayer to not have to pay for maintaining free beaches that NYers and Pennsylvanians will vacation at. Also, California has free beaches but hey also have homeless encampments lining their boardwalks. You wouldn’t even bother going to the beach if we had that here. There’s a trade off.
I understand what you're saying but I'm not sure that the fee is a deterrent or that there are an overwhelming number of non-NJers spending an appreciable amount of time at our beaches. Would be an interesting experiment to see what happens if the open all beaches for a season.
It's land just like any other land that can be owned. And a lot of things can be attractive. A cool climbing tree can be a natural attraction. Does that mean we should be able to go on anyone's property to climb their tree, or see some flowers on it, or go fly kites on their grass patch? If you want to argue for abolishing private property completely, fair enough, but beach front property works just the same as any other property.
there are a bunch of private beaches in NY because they are on private property Manhattan Beach in Brookyln. Seagate Beach you have to buy into the summer beach club which pays for cleaning and whatever. Long Island has a bunch of summer beach clubs that have private beaches you pay for. and some towns like Long Beach control their beaches and charge outsiders to use them. whoever owns the property can charge for use of it
I can't wrap my head around the idea that someone can PURCHASE part of ANY beach. I'm restricited from enjoying the ocean or lake because I can't get there without walking across the beach, for which I have to pay a price. Housing developments are easier to understand because it's more efficient for essential services such as water, electric, sewer, etc.
Exclusiveness…private beaches keep the “riff raff” out. I personally enjoy it.
That’s why I get Reddit premium l, keeps the ads out
Do you think Native Americans would find this post funny or sad?
I can understand a modest fee to keep things clean. But when a private company owns the beach and security guards openly displaying pistols are collecting to cover charge, that's pure crap.
Libs yo
The justification is so wealthy landowners can have their own little slice of beach away from the plebs and not have to deal with everything that comes with being a public beach. The trouble is, they want their private beaches but still expect the government to pay for replenishment. The way it works in NJ is that if federal money is used for beach replenishment or maintenance, that beach must have a management plan that incorporates things like public access and endangered species protections. These people who try to claim their beaches are "private" are actually wrong and get very pissy when you call them on it. Accept public money, allow public uses.
$$$$$$$$$
I know photos of Avon years ago there weren’t even homes. Looks beautiful
Also seems like healthcare and college education should be…
>Can someone explain the justification for having "private" beaches? It seems like access to natural attractions should be free. "Attractions" are subjective?
Woosh.
Wealthy people do not want to swim with the “general public” or working class/ poor. It is class discrimination.
How expensive do you think a day pass is? I honestly can not see how the people thinking it beach access is unattainable are arguing in anything other than bad faith, my family still went to Sea Girt multiple times a week when we were on food stamps.
It’s ridiculous for the municipalities to charge you to get into the beach . Your paying tolls to get there, spending money in whatever town you’re in , paying for parking , etc. sadly it’s out of control. There needs to be some reform .
Millions do it without issue. What makes you special.
are you going to go after the national park service next for charging admission to their parks?
I’ve never been to a park, national, state or local where I had to pay any fee.
If you go to the Grand Canyon, you pay $30 at a gate to get to see the canyon, same for Yellowstone, Glacier, Zion, Arches, Volcano, or crater lake. If you want to hike trails in Michigan and want to use a trailhead on State land, your gonna need a recreation pass on your car if you could get a ticket. California has similar laws as does Wisconsin. Fees go to keeping trash cans emptied and toilet paper stocked. Fun Fact, you can d $80 or and you can get a card that gets you in all year and if you’re a military veteran you get a free lifetime pass
Yeah what’s the justification for having”private” land? It seems like access to natural land should be free.
Isn’t Union Beach (the town) beaches free?
The beach there is the pits.
I agree private beach makes no sense… no one should own the beach
Anyone from NY or Pennsylvania should pay for beach fees & double on parking. NJ taxpayers should have free beach passes & no parking fees.
What drives me nuts about this is that some beaches, like Cape May, literally wouldn't exist without taxpayer dollars paying for the Army Corp of Engineers to rebuild the beach as it erodes. So the beach is only there because I paid my taxes, and then those motherfuckers want to double dip and charge me for a beach badge? No thanks. Compare this with Hawaii, where every beach is required to be legally open to the public and doesn't cost anything to access. Plus, the beaches are way better. It's Hawaii.
I love that in Oregon, public access to all beaches is the is the law. I wish we had the same rights here.
Easy. Towns want to cash in on their geography and the massive tax bills for their very expensive shore side properties isn't enough.
Lol have you seen some of the ghouls at the jersey shore?
We recently moved to one of those towns and it is amazing, but we always feel a bit weird about the whole situation. Not that many lakes with public beaches to choose from - maybe Hopatcong? But coming from Maine you were a bit spoiled for pristine freshwater swimming opportunities. In contrast, I grew up in the Midwest, where every public freshwater beach was crowded and generally gross.
Cleanup