Upper Township Seeks Ways to Raise Revenue

PETERSBURG – Upper Township Committee met briefly but members took time to discuss ways the township could raise money in the future.
Committeeman John Coggins was first. He suggested that the township look into adopting an ordinance similar to one proposed in Woodbine that would impose a registration fee on vacant or foreclosed property held by a creditor or bank.
Coggins explained that Woodbine’s proposed ordinance has a registration fee that increases yearly and therefore gives the creditor or bank incentive to restore or sell the property and not let it fall into disrepair.
Strathmere Beach Tags
Later, the issue of beach fees in Strathmere was raised along with other suggestions. There was mention of metered parking, a pay parking lot, and even seasonal lockers.
Mayor Richard Palombo was quick to point out that the support staff for enforcing a measure like beach tags could cost more than the potential money raised.
Committeeman Hobie Young also noted that there was low tourist turnover in Strathmere when compared to neighboring Ocean City or Sea Isle City which means beachgoers would buy seasonal passes as opposed to daily or weekly ones.
Palombo and committee agreed that all the possible options were worth reviewing and there was plenty of time to do so. It was agreed that committees or workshops would be created in October to start a larger discussion.