December 13, 2012
MAYOR’S MESSAGE:
The City continues to recover from the effects of Super Storm Sandy and to focus on restoration efforts. The Public Works Department has done an extraordinary job at cleaning up the natural and man-made debris left in the wake of the storm.
In a related and extremely urgent issue for cities like Sea Isle, I am very disturbed that, coinciding with this time of restoration, shore communities are being challenged with the possibility of eliminating our ability to charge user fees for our beaches through the sale of beach tags. This challenge comes in the form of legislation being proposed by State Senators Stephen Sweeney and Michael Doherty. Bill S-2368, sponsored by Senators Sweeney and Doherty, would prohibit communities who accept federal or state beach replenishment funding from utilizing beach user fees (beach tags). On Monday, December 10, a press conference was held in Sea Isle City that was attended by officials from every Cape May County town that utilizes beach tags. This coastal coalition unanimously expressed their opposition to this proposed legislation because of the negative impact it would have on shore communities. Bill S-2368 would eliminate over one million dollars in revenue to Sea Isle and would require the City to take one of two unfortunate measures:
1. Eliminate or greatly reduce services
2. Raise property taxes to make up the lost revenue
For the average Sea Isle City home, the potential increased annual cost to make up for the lost revenue would translate into an additional property tax in an amount in excess of $150.00. Frankly, the legislation as drafted would not permit this, as it is in contradiction of the state imposed 2% cap on property taxes. This is an extremely important issue because your local government has no desire to either eliminate services or raise property taxes. If you share my opinion, I encourage you to contact the offices of Senators Sweeney and Doherty and voice your opposition to their proposed legislation. Their contact information is below. I also suggest that you contact our district’s legislative team, Senator Van Drew and Assemblymen Albano and Milam. The Ocean City Sentinel Ledger published a detailed editorial concerning this topic in its December 12 edition. If you are interested in learning more about why this bill is being so strenuously opposed, click the link below.
This legislation is attempting to create a misleading link between beach user fees and disaster recovery funds and is clearly being made into a political issue. To do so as we struggle to recover from the most devastating storm in the history of the northeast is politics at its worst.
On a far more positive note, the County received bids on December 12 for the project to reconstruct JFK Boulevard from the bridge to Landis Avenue. The apparent low bidder is Asphalt Paving Systems, Inc. of Hammonton, NJ. There was intense competition for this project with bids received from ten companies, the low bid coming in at $3,773,000. Best of all, project construction is being completely funded by the Federal government and should be substantially completed by the summer season. This project is part of our continuing effort to complete the Beach to Bay Corridor.
My best wishes go out to you and your family for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season! Merry Christmas!
Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!
The City continues to recover from the effects of Super Storm Sandy and to focus on restoration efforts. The Public Works Department has done an extraordinary job at cleaning up the natural and man-made debris left in the wake of the storm.
In a related and extremely urgent issue for cities like Sea Isle, I am very disturbed that, coinciding with this time of restoration, shore communities are being challenged with the possibility of eliminating our ability to charge user fees for our beaches through the sale of beach tags. This challenge comes in the form of legislation being proposed by State Senators Stephen Sweeney and Michael Doherty. Bill S-2368, sponsored by Senators Sweeney and Doherty, would prohibit communities who accept federal or state beach replenishment funding from utilizing beach user fees (beach tags). On Monday, December 10, a press conference was held in Sea Isle City that was attended by officials from every Cape May County town that utilizes beach tags. This coastal coalition unanimously expressed their opposition to this proposed legislation because of the negative impact it would have on shore communities. Bill S-2368 would eliminate over one million dollars in revenue to Sea Isle and would require the City to take one of two unfortunate measures:
1. Eliminate or greatly reduce services
2. Raise property taxes to make up the lost revenue
For the average Sea Isle City home, the potential increased annual cost to make up for the lost revenue would translate into an additional property tax in an amount in excess of $150.00. Frankly, the legislation as drafted would not permit this, as it is in contradiction of the state imposed 2% cap on property taxes. This is an extremely important issue because your local government has no desire to either eliminate services or raise property taxes. If you share my opinion, I encourage you to contact the offices of Senators Sweeney and Doherty and voice your opposition to their proposed legislation. Their contact information is below. I also suggest that you contact our district’s legislative team, Senator Van Drew and Assemblymen Albano and Milam. The Ocean City Sentinel Ledger published a detailed editorial concerning this topic in its December 12 edition. If you are interested in learning more about why this bill is being so strenuously opposed, click the link below.
This legislation is attempting to create a misleading link between beach user fees and disaster recovery funds and is clearly being made into a political issue. To do so as we struggle to recover from the most devastating storm in the history of the northeast is politics at its worst.
On a far more positive note, the County received bids on December 12 for the project to reconstruct JFK Boulevard from the bridge to Landis Avenue. The apparent low bidder is Asphalt Paving Systems, Inc. of Hammonton, NJ. There was intense competition for this project with bids received from ten companies, the low bid coming in at $3,773,000. Best of all, project construction is being completely funded by the Federal government and should be substantially completed by the summer season. This project is part of our continuing effort to complete the Beach to Bay Corridor.
My best wishes go out to you and your family for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season! Merry Christmas!
Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard Desiderio
Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney: 935 Kings Highway, Suite 400, West Deptford, NJ 08086. Phone: (856) 251-9801 (West Deptford) or (856) 339-0808 (Salem). Email: sensweeney@njleg.org.
Senator Michael Doherty: 127 Belvidere Avenue, 2nd Floor, Washington, NJ 07882. Phone: (908) 835-0552 (Washington) and (908) 722-2427 (Bridgewater). Email: sendoherty@njleg.org.
Senator Jeff Van Drew: 21 North Main Street, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210. Phone: (609) 465-0700. Email: senvandrew@njleg.org .
Assemblyman Nelson Albano: 21 North Main St.
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210. Phone: (609) 465-0700. Email: asmalbano@njleg.org .
Assemblyman Matthew Milam: 21 North Main Sreet, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210. Phone: (609) 465-0700. Email: asmmilam@njleg.org .
To learn how you can contact other New Jersey legislators, visit http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp.
To read the editorial column printed in the Ocean City Sentinel on December 12, click HERE.
Senator Michael Doherty: 127 Belvidere Avenue, 2nd Floor, Washington, NJ 07882. Phone: (908) 835-0552 (Washington) and (908) 722-2427 (Bridgewater). Email: sendoherty@njleg.org.
Senator Jeff Van Drew: 21 North Main Street, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210. Phone: (609) 465-0700. Email: senvandrew@njleg.org .
Assemblyman Nelson Albano: 21 North Main St.
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210. Phone: (609) 465-0700. Email: asmalbano@njleg.org .
Assemblyman Matthew Milam: 21 North Main Sreet, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210. Phone: (609) 465-0700. Email: asmmilam@njleg.org .
To learn how you can contact other New Jersey legislators, visit http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp.
To read the editorial column printed in the Ocean City Sentinel on December 12, click HERE.
For more information about real estate or whats happening in Sea Isle City, NJ contact The Landis Co., Realtors (609) 263-3400 or info@LandisCo.com . Find us on the internet at www.LandisCo.com
One of the main reasons I have been looking at monmouth county real estate is so that my family and I can be closer to the Jersey shore. I love sea isle, avalon, stone harbour, and the rest of the area. Such clean towns that offer a lot of entertainment. Thanks for sharing I am going to jot your number down.
ReplyDelete