How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
My life is like a stroll upon the beach,
As near the ocean’s edge as I can go.
- Henry David Thoreau
I’m a son of a beach. Sand between my toes and white stuff on my nose. People have many different places they feel closest to God. Church comes to mind. Others enjoy the serenity of a garden, forest or mountain. I’m betting the ubiquitous Dave Carter feels something for an open road. For me, sitting on a jetty with the waves lapping around me fills me with the Holy Spirit.
My absolute favorite time to go down the beach is just after sun up when it is truly hot and sunny – still over 80 degrees at sunrise. The ocean looks like it’s covered in diamonds and there is a sizzling sound when the wave breaks and crawls upon the sand. No tourists yet. Just me and my safe place until they get here.
By the way – “down the beach” – that’s a colloquialism used by beach boys. We never go “to the beach,” it’s always “down the beach.” There is at least a decade-long moratorium against newcomer assimilation should we hear you say “down the shore.” Never say “shore” if you want to fit in with the locals.
Despite the spiritual love we in New Jersey have for the sand and surf, our state is one of the few places in the world to charge people to walk on the sand to get to the ocean. Jersey strange. First we charge you $2 per hour to park next to the beach, then $8 per person to walk onto it.
The law is truly odd. The public has a right to the high water mark left by the ocean. Government can’t charge you for being there. The problem is, not even Carl Lewis on his best Olympic day could long jump the 75 or so yards of sand to get from the boardwalk to the high water mark. Land in the sand and you get arrested.
For sure there are places in New Jersey where you can get on the sand free of charge. But that’s a vestige of the “separate but equal” mindset of yesteryear, because as every local knows, you can’t go to just “any old beach.” Beaches are as personal to people as their undergarments, and held just as closely.
Don’t marry a beach girl or boy until you first work out which beach you’ll frequent. Some love waves. Some love little coves. Some want shade. My wife digs Avon-By-The-Sea since it’s a big family beach. I body surf in Asbury Park because there are at least a dozen venues where I can swill adult beverages right on the boardwalk. So we split our time between beaches. My wife and I treat our beaches like divorced parents treat their children – we get visitation every other weekend.
The point is, don’t tell me I can go miles away to a free beach I don’t like and all is the same. It’s like telling me to wear shoes that don’t fit. I can’t get comfortable.
The political debate that rages in New Jersey, as it now rages again, is not whether government should decide if you can swim. It is “which government” gets to decide if you can swim. Some lobby for state rule (big government monolithic solution) and the more conservative (so they claim) want “home rule” where each town gets to decide the rules.
I don’t know why there needs to be any rules. New Jersey towns will tell you they have to pay for life guards and beach cleanup, so they should get to charge for beach access.
I counter with Aruba. Bermuda. Cancun. Jamaica. Bahamas. Every state on America’s east coast. These are all places I’ve been where I didn’t have to pay a dime to park near the beach, walk on the sand or swim in the Ocean. All of them have governments that work, with taxes and costs of living far less than the Garden State. So, Mr. New Jersey Mayors – your excuse is sooooo bogus (said in my best Jeff Spicoli voice)!
How about Ricochet? What do you think? Let me pose a polling question that is fair, unloaded and in no way leads you to an answer I personally hope you give:
Should New Jersey towns honor the freedom and liberty that our Americanism promises since the time of our founding by making beaches free, or should they continue their neo-fascist, big government corruption by charging money for the God given right to shred a waive?
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Feb '11
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Is this a dfferent issue from the notion of beach ownership by homeowners, hotels, clubs etc?
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
That is a related issue that ends up in court in New Jersey too.
Even privately owned beaches have to respect the high water mark, so your own beach is never that private. People get to walk along the water's edge.
That one is more complicated. And not as frequent.
My problem is with the beaches open to the public but with fees.
Edited on Jun 27, 2011 at 8:07amDec '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
I whole-heartedly agree with you. If government is allowed this overreach, I can imagine another would be right on its heels, especially with so many states in the red.(and not in a good way.)
I would, however, caution you to count your blessings. I live in Colorado, not 3 city blocks from a lovely reservoir where swimming is prohibited completely....though water-skiing is perfectly acceptable.
I chalk that one up to bureaucratic logic.
Edited on Jun 27, 2011 at 7:54amFeb '11
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
...
white stuff on my nose.
A closet Blotto fan? As in "I, I, I, wanna be a lifeguard!"
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Preserved Killick
...
white stuff on my nose.
A closet Blotto fan? As in "I, I, I, wanna be a lifeguard!" · Jun 27 at 7:57am
See, knowing that reference makes you a local. Grab a beer. You're one of us.
May '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
If there' a serious question here, I think charging for parking, or restricting parking is fine, but, at least on the open ocean, purely residential restrictions are horrible.
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Hey Jersey Boy what is your favorite beach?
Feb '11
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Should New Jersey charge for beach access? No.
On the other hand, this is New Jersey, the state that lets you in over the bridges and through the tunnels for free but charges you to get out. Several years ago when New Jersey was looking for a new state motto my wife, a New Jersey resident for much of her life, suggested, "New Jersey, our hand in your pocket." Nothing could be more apropos.
Edited on Jun 27, 2011 at 9:41amJul '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
I'm all for a fee-for-use model of things like public beaches and public parks.
Why should citizens who never go to the beach - and they are many - pay for the maintenance of those facilities, to the benefit of those who choose to go?
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Kenneth: I'm all for a fee-for-use model of things like public beaches and public parks.
Why should citizens who never go to the beach - and they are many - pay for the maintenance of those facilities, to the benefit of those who choose to go? · Jun 27 at 10:05am
Wouldn't that model lead to us closing our beaches to anyone but residents?
Edited on Jun 27, 2011 at 10:37amRe: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Kenneth: I'm all for a fee-for-use model of things like public beaches and public parks.
Why should citizens who never go to the beach - and they are many - pay for the maintenance of those facilities, to the benefit of those who choose to go? · Jun 27 at 10:05am
Also - wouldn't this be an argument for tolls on every local road?
Aug '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
It could be worse. The governments could (will?) be arguing that people shouldn't be allowed to swim in the ocean at all due to the risk of drowning.
Jul '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Tommy De Seno
Kenneth: I'm all for a fee-for-use model of things like public beaches and public parks.
Why should citizens who never go to the beach - and they are many - pay for the maintenance of those facilities, to the benefit of those who choose to go? · Jun 27 at 10:05am
Wouldn't that model lead to us closing our beaches to anyone but residents? · Jun 27 at 10:36am
Edited on Jun 27 at 10:37 am
No, it simply means the facilities should be structured, where possible, so as to limit access to paying customers - usually by charging for parking. Not always easy to do in the case of parks or beaches, of course, but fee-for-use is the libertarian way, Tommy.
May '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
No. The reason for that is that, while you may never drive on any particular road, you may benefit from the commerce induced by that road. Or an ambulance may use that road to get to your house even though you have never driven on it personally. Access to a beach isn't on the same level.
National Parks have some user fees for those attend even though those revenues do not cover the total cost of operating them.
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
EJHill
No. The reason for that is that, while you may never drive on any particular road, you may benefit from the commerce induced by that road. Or an ambulance may use that road to get to your house even though you have never driven on it personally. Access to a beach isn't on the same level.
National Parks have some user fees for those attend even though those revenues do not cover the total cost of operating them. · Jun 27 at 10:56am
Doesn't everyone benefit by the commerce induced by the beach? The combined sales tax collected by the boardwalk stores goes to everyone.
Aug '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Tommy De Seno
Kenneth: I'm all for a fee-for-use model of things like public beaches and public parks.
Why should citizens who never go to the beach - and they are many - pay for the maintenance of those facilities, to the benefit of those who choose to go?
Wouldn't that model lead to us closing our beaches to anyone but residents?
Not only no in theory, but no in practice.
Several municipal beaches in the Great Lakes region have daily or annual passes available to both residents and non-residents, though residential passes are usually much cheaper because part of residents' taxes already goes to beach maintenance.
Kenneth
No, it simply means the facilities should be structured, where possible, so as to limit access to paying customers...
...which is also why we don't put tolls on every road. Doing so would create so many problems that it's not possible in practical terms.
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Tommy De Seno
Kenneth: I'm all for a fee-for-use model of things like public beaches and public parks.
Why should citizens who never go to the beach - and they are many - pay for the maintenance of those facilities, to the benefit of those who choose to go?
Wouldn't that model lead to us closing our beaches to anyone but residents?
Not only no in theory, but no in practice.
Several municipal beaches in the Great Lakes region have daily or annual passes available to both residents and non-residents, though residential passes are usually much cheaper because part of residents' taxes already goes to beach maintenance.
Kenneth
No, it simply means the facilities should be structured, where possible, so as to limit access to paying customers...
...which is also why we don't put tolls on every road. Doing so would create so many problems that it's not possible in practical terms. · Jun 27 at 11:10am
So you support tolls on every road as a theory, and if advancing technology gave us a practical way of doing it, you would be for it?
May '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
But the boardwalk is an ending point. Roads are not. Billions of dollars of merchandise may flow over road "X" without being offered on any store with a road "X" address.
Everyone benefits from the sales tax on the concessions at the theater, too, but that doesn't mean the movie should be free.
May '10
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
My grandparents lived in a beachhouse on the Alabama-Florida border through most of my childhood. The house was built before laws declaring that shoreline could not be privately owned, so my family owned the sand up to water's edge.
It didn't matter. We never once shooed tourists off our land... not when they parked on the road behind us and walked under our house; not when they sat on the shoreline directly in front of us. If our ownership of that sand served any purpose, it was only a theoretical knowledge that we could banish troublemakers if need be. Oh, and we had first dibs on the volleyball net.
Our beach had no lifeguards. We guarded each other (or took risks), as responsible adults do.
Last time I visited that beach, a Swedish friend remarked that it was strange how a nation so devoted to freedom had such tresspassing laws (as opposed to Europe, backpackers' paradise). "Every man is king of his castle," I replied. We are free to be generous or stingy as we please.
Morally, I reject the notion that government automatically owns everything not privately owned. Pragmatically, might makes right where property is concerned.
Re: How Do We Feel About Government Charging Money To Swim In The Ocean?
EJHill
But the boardwalk is an ending point. Roads are not. Billions of dollars of merchandise may flow over road "X" without being offered on any store with a road "X" address.
Everyone benefits from the sales tax on the concessions at the theater, too, but that doesn't mean the movie should be free. · Jun 27 at 11:41am
The movie theater is privately owned. The beach is not.
If everyone is benefitting from the sales tax at the boardwalk, then why should just one town bear the clean-up costs?