Even with Free Vets’ Tags, Revenue Rises

CAPE MAY – City Manager Bruce MacLeod used the Sept. 16 city council meeting to announce revenue numbers from the summer season. Even with the introduction of free beach tags for veterans and active duty military personnel, beach tag revenue rose 6 percent, topping $2 million.
The free-tag program was also a significant success with 2,017 military tags handed out. Mayor Edward Mahaney pointed out that many of the veterans who received the tags did not use them at the beaches but they appreciated the gesture by the city. MacLeod noted that the tags had “memorabilia value” to some of the recipients.
MacLeod pointed to three financial figures that act as barometers of a financially successful season for the city. Together with beach tags numbers, MacLeod cited a 3-percent increase in parking fees and an 8- percent increase in revenue from the Occupancy Tax. Combined revenue from those three sources represented about $3.7 million for the city.
These direct measures of financial health are also indicators of a successful tourist season from which the city also benefits indirectly through heightened economic activity throughout the business community.
Two-Week Hiring Freeze
A two-week hiring freeze approved at the council’s working session on Sept. 2 was the subject of some confusion when it appeared on the agenda for a closed session of council.
In response to a question from Jerry Inderwies Jr., retired fire chief and candidate for city council, Mahaney explained that the purpose of the closed session was to review the city personnel positions for the final quarter of the year and to evaluate staffing in terms of city priorities before the 2015 budget season.
“We are coming into the final quarter of the budget year,” Mahaney said. “We want to be sure of where we are in terms of expense.”
Mahaney noted that the city manager had assured council that there were no critical personnel actions pending when the two-week freeze was approved. As Mahaney described it, the freeze represents a short period in which personnel activity is static, allowing a quick but comprehensive review in terms of budget resources and future needs.
Dredging to Begin
Dredging of parts of the harbor and associated waterways will begin in the first week of October, Mahaney told council. This is at “no expense to the city,” he noted. A state-funded project will soon be underway which Mahaney believes will have “tremendous value for our commercial and recreational fishing.” He also noted that private dredging will be allowed and that homeowners will benefit from reduced pricing by tapping into the public project.
School Funding
Jo Tolley, a past school board member, again took the podium during the public period to urge that council end the effort to alter the school funding formula related to the Lower Cape May Regional School District. The special election for that question will be Dec. 9.
“I am persistent,” Tolley said as she discussed the need to deal fairly with the larger Lower Cape May community. “We need the citizens of Lower Township in all of our businesses,” she noted, adding that the focus should not just be on taxes paid by city residents. A few of the public in attendance applauded but no council member made any reply.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.