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I think most of your post is directed more towards the south jersey/shoobie thing so I really have no opinion except that it does not apply to Monmouth Co.
Winters here are generally much more mild than those inland due to the mitigating effect of the ocean. And while I understand that tourists think the ocean is only swimable for July and August I can tell you some of the best beach days to be had are at the end of September. Not that I am suggesting people move here, we are already too crowded but I think day trippers might enjoy the less crowded beaches even more in Sept.
There's less snow in the winter but with all the wind it's just so freaking cold.
I actually don't mind swimming in the ocean when the water is cold, but a lot of people do. I do agree that September is a great time to go to the beach - less crowded but still decent weather and water temperature.
Speaking of shoebies, I think they're more tolerated by locals but the locals in the southern Jersey Shore are not nearly the whiny malcontent locals of the northern Jersey Shore. A few of my best friends are from Margate and Longport, and Stone Harbor, and they never get all bent about bennies or shoebies. Their northern shore counterparts, however, spend all summer complaining about guidos walking on their lawns or whatever.
I think you have your cause and effect mixed up. Why do you think the South Jersey locals are more tolerant? Because most shoebies are not as obnoxious as most bennys.
I spent most of my youth only going to South Jersey beaches, and I do agree that I never really noticed any hatred towards the tourists there(although I guess technically I was one), except for one summer when I worked in AC and had to drive back on Sunday evening. But now I have a bunch of friends that live in Ocean and Monmouth counties and after going there a few times I found myself saying "go home Benny" whenever I saw a NY license plate.
I'm also hoping (probably against all reality) that the businesses at the shore have the worst season ever and go out of business, and those towns lose the tax revenue from the businesses.
And there are actually plenty of towns that would love if this happened. Belmar has been on a (successful) crusade to get rid of as many tourism-based businesses as possible for years. So has Seaside Park. So has Surf City. Manasquan is against zoning any businesses in the beach area whatsoever. And those are just a few towns off the top of my head.
Tourism doesn't bring in dollars to towns. It brings an obligation to provide extra services and maintain infrastructure to support the people these businesses bring in. Towns make money by way of property taxes, not sales taxes. The presence of small, seasonal businesses is a net loss for taxpayers. You get a much better bang for your buck by zoning residential and collecting property taxes from a year-round family than you do zoning business and dealing with crowds, extra police, more trash pickups etc. Parking meters and beach badges only bring in so much revenue, and it's often not enough to cover the overall cost of the services.
There's less snow in the winter but with all the wind it's just so freaking cold.
I actually don't mind swimming in the ocean when the water is cold, but a lot of people do. I do agree that September is a great time to go to the beach - less crowded but still decent weather and water temperature.
My last swim was Halloween day last year.
Through much of September and October, water temperatures remain in the 70s, even high 70s some years. It's an excellent time to go to the beach. For people who don't have to deal with little kids going to school, it's a great time to rent a house in the area - prices are 1/2 what they are in the summer, the air/water is still warm, and the fish are still biting!
Spent many, many summers at the shore, not only growing up but took my children there. I remember when the bay side was just swamp. Last time I visited, about 10 years ago, it was so sad. So much building and development and cars, and more cars. I never went back.
Retired, moved out of Jersey and spend two months a year in Maui. No crowds, no rude people, beautiful and clean beaches that I don't have to pay to go on or park, friendly people who make you feel welcome and NO BOARDWALKS with rip off rides and shops.
People at the shore areas should be somewhat happy to see people from all over come and spend money there. I remember not to long ago when gas was 5.00 a gallon or near that that people were traveling less... and guess what? the people at the shore that made their money off "North Jersey" people were crying the blues on how slooooow buisness was. I understand the "other" people (NY) people that crap all over NJ in the summer make it less enjoyable to go there. So remember don't lump North Jersey people in with New Yorkers, just be happy that the money is staying in the state and not leaving the country.
People at the shore areas should be somewhat happy to see people from all over come and spend money there. I remember not to long ago when gas was 5.00 a gallon or near that that people were traveling less... and guess what? the people at the shore that made their money off "North Jersey" people were crying the blues on how slooooow buisness was. I understand the "other" people (NY) people that crap all over NJ in the summer make it less enjoyable to go there. So remember don't lump North Jersey people in with New Yorkers, just be happy that the money is staying in the state and not leaving the country.
Its been said before in this very thread but the notion that all or even the majority of people who live here should be happy about benny money is silly. Not one adult in my family or among my friends relies upon tourist money in any way. Undoubtable there are businesses that would go under if tourists stopped coming but at the same rate they often are not the ones the locals frequent.
And there are actually plenty of towns that would love if this happened. Belmar has been on a (successful) crusade to get rid of as many tourism-based businesses as possible for years. So has Seaside Park. So has Surf City. Manasquan is against zoning any businesses in the beach area whatsoever. And those are just a few towns off the top of my head.
Tourism doesn't bring in dollars to towns. It brings an obligation to provide extra services and maintain infrastructure to support the people these businesses bring in. Towns make money by way of property taxes, not sales taxes. The presence of small, seasonal businesses is a net loss for taxpayers. You get a much better bang for your buck by zoning residential and collecting property taxes from a year-round family than you do zoning business and dealing with crowds, extra police, more trash pickups etc. Parking meters and beach badges only bring in so much revenue, and it's often not enough to cover the overall cost of the services.
What a total crock.
If Belmar or any other town wanted to reduce tourism to the point of elimination they could. But they don't.
No, instead, most of the locals are like that Belmar Mayor. They love to whine and complain about the "bennies" (because, we all know, that people from North Jersey are rude and the ones who aren't, well, too bad for them, they get the label anyway - because intelligent people stereotype and make up labels ) but while they're whining and moaning they are catering to the "bennies".
I don't know if they need the money or not; the fact remains that they do what they need to do to keep the businesses that attract "bennies" open.
Why doesn't Belmar shut D'Jai's down? That mayor shoots off his mouth like a jackass but what's he doing to shut the place down? Not a damn thing.
If shore locals want their town to have no "bennies" then shut down the tourist businesses and hotels, and turn down state and federal funding for the beach and take care of it with your own money (or let it erode away).
But that never happens. Why not? It's not hard to shut down places like D'Jai's, my town did it years ago. Very easy to enact a few ordinances that will make it impossible for D'Jai's to stay in business.
So, until I see shore towns stepping up and taking care of their own town and getting rid of the tourist businesses, then every time I hear them whine and moan about "bennies" I'll know they're full of crap and just looking to whine and complain and justify their bigoted attitudes.
That's not to mention all the sob stories of mayors of shore towns that cry to the Governor for money, "wahhh it's been a rough economy, wahhhh".
If Belmar or any other town wanted to reduce tourism to the point of elimination they could. But they don't.
No, instead, most of the locals are like that Belmar Mayor. They love to whine and complain about the "bennies" (because, we all know, that people from North Jersey are rude and the ones who aren't, well, too bad for them, they get the label anyway - because intelligent people stereotype and make up labels ) but while they're whining and moaning they are catering to the "bennies".
I don't know if they need the money or not; the fact remains that they do what they need to do to keep the businesses that attract "bennies" open.
Why doesn't Belmar shut D'Jai's down? That mayor shoots off his mouth like a jackass but what's he doing to shut the place down? Not a damn thing.
What could he do? It is a privately owned business.
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If shore locals want their town to have no "bennies" then shut down the tourist businesses and hotels, and turn down state and federal funding for the beach and take care of it with your own money (or let it erode away).
Why would we let it erode away, it protects the entire town. Thats silly.
Second, I do not know about Belmar but my town has a beach budget made up of local property taxes and revenues from badges that is used for beach maintenance.
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But that never happens. Why not? It's not hard to shut down places like D'Jai's, my town did it years ago. Very easy to enact a few ordinances that will make it impossible for D'Jai's to stay in business.
I am truly not sure what you mean here. The town has made it much harder to rent to large groups of people using CO laws, and they enforce ordinances regarding public drunkeness and noise very strictly but how would they force a business to fold?
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So, until I see shore towns stepping up and taking care of their own town and getting rid of the tourist businesses, then every time I hear them whine and moan about "bennies" I'll know they're full of crap and just looking to whine and complain and justify their bigoted attitudes.
My town is converting most of the rentable bungalows to permanent year round homes is that the sort of thing you mean? Also Carlsons went out of business but I do not know what you think the town should have done.
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That's not to mention all the sob stories of mayors of shore towns that cry to the Governor for money, "wahhh it's been a rough economy, wahhhh".
Not sure what you mean here either. Don't NNJ town get money from the state?
What could he do? It is a privately owned business.
The mayor, especially with the help of the residents, can drive them out of business very easily. The fact is the residents and the mayor love the income from the tourist-based businesses and will never give them up.
That's why it's so hypocritical and STUPID of them to turn around and complain about "bennies".
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Originally Posted by lkb0714
Why would we let it erode away, it protects the entire town. Thats silly.
OK, then pay for it. Don't rely on the state or Fed to do it for you.
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Originally Posted by lkb0714
Second, I do not know about Belmar but my town has a beach budget made up of local property taxes and revenues from badges that is used for beach maintenance.
Not major repair, the kind that the state and Fed pay for when it's needed.
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Originally Posted by lkb0714
I am truly not sure what you mean here. The town has made it much harder to rent to large groups of people using CO laws, and they enforce ordinances regarding public drunkeness and noise very strictly but how would they force a business to fold?
Restrict liquor licenses or don't renew liquor licenses (see Ocean City, NJ). Restrict business hours and force them all to close by 9 or 10. Don't use eminent domain to drive people out of homes where you will then build a touristy shopping boardwalk on the beach (see Long Branch). Make sure any hotels and guest houses have strict rules so as to attract a few guests who will fit the stereotype the bigots in the town want to attract. It's your town, you can do what you want, if the majority is in agreement. My bet is the residents aren't in agreement and neither are the town governments. They just all whine about it, that's all.
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Originally Posted by lkb0714
My town is converting most of the rentable bungalows to permanent year round homes is that the sort of thing you mean? Also Carlsons went out of business but I do not know what you think the town should have done.
There you go. They are also building big homes there for bennies. My friend just bought one a couple years ago. He's a benny no more... What about the other gin mills? They still there?? I was partial to the Osprey, that's where I went with my friends and I knew several bartenders there. Are they still there?? How about Leggettes???
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Originally Posted by lkb0714
Not sure what you mean here either. Don't NNJ town get money from the state?
If your town is serious about restricting beach access and that they don't need the money from tourism, then let them turn down that federal funding and all other similar funding.
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) but while they're whining and moaning they are catering to the "bennies".
