Are Shore towns using beach tag fees illegally?

    Ever wonder where the money from your beach tag purchases goes?

    So is New Jersey’s former Public Advocate, Ronald Chen. Before Gov. Chris Christie eliminated that position, Chen spent a lot of time making sure beach tag fees were being put back into the beaches. Now several Shore towns face questions about where that money goes.

     

    Chen says the excess revenue shouldn’t go to the general fund, but towns argue two ways.

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    They say tourists paying for beach tags also require more trash and police patrols, thus the need to put money back into the general fund. Towns also argue the revenue that goes into the general fund is often used for beach expenses, and that there’s never been trouble from the state in getting their budgets passed.

    So where exactly is the beach tag revenue going? At the very least, Chen says he wasnts transparency about what towns do with extra beach money.

    Would you prefer you beach tags fees be saved for beach projects, or do you not mind if towns cover other costs with the money?

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