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Oct. 2-8
Climate Action
New Jersey has released an 81-page Strategic Climate Action Plan that will guide the state on many aspects of its climate change agenda. With a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, the strategy is aggressive and is now open for public comment.
In terms of the plan’s focus on energy transition, the primary focus is on the offshore wind initiative that is facing growing public concern.
Increasing resilience is a goal behind new coastal development and land use rules, which the state Department of Environmental Protection terms New Jersey Protection Against Climate Threats. A recent seminar of new coastal zone rules produced opposition from state Sen. Michael Testa (R-1st) among others.
DEP is calling for consideration of potential climate change impacts in all coastal zone development. The agency says a reliance on past flooding experience is no longer a good predictor of future events and future projections of precipitation and sea level rise need to be considered.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury has released a report detailing what the department sees as the growing impact of climate change on American household finance. The report argues that households can experience “significant financial strain” through pressures on their income and expenses. It details ways in which climate change driven events can lead to business closures, reduced earnings and damage to property among others.
Most recently the state has increased its focus on plans for dealing with extreme heat. A DEP webinar has been posted on the issue.
Those critical of the DEP action plans and development regulations say they emanate from worst-case scenarios for climate change without a full understanding of the economic consequences of the new rules.
2023 State Elections
All 80 seats in the New Jersey Assembly and all 40 seats in the Senate are up for grabs, Tuesday, Nov. 7. Democrats currently hold majority power in both houses, with 46 Democrats and 34 Republicans in the Assembly and 25 Democrats and 15 Republicans in the Senate. Just two years ago, Republicans picked up seats in both houses and they hope to continue the trend in 2023.
Part of the Republican strategy for achieving additional victories this year is to focus on two issues that also resonate in Cape May County – growing skepticism over offshore wind and state lawsuits against school districts over policies that would inform parents about transgender students.
State attorney general instituted litigation and state education guidance are aimed at preventing schools from notifying parents if their child is transgender. Parental rights is an issue in campaigns statewide, including Cape May County where First District legislators are up for reelection.
Republicans are also building support with attacks on Gov. Phil Murphy’s signature plan for a transition to renewable energy sources. Calling the plan an industrialization of the shore, criticizing tax credits given to the Danish wind farm developer Ørsted and pointing to state intrusion into local control on many land use issues, Republicans have made this issue, one for which Cape May County is the epicenter, into state-wide talking points.
Tax Exempt Property
According to state data for 2022, Cape May County has just over $3.1 billion of assessed value of property that is tax exempt. This is roughly 6% total assessed value for the county of $51.7 billion. Of the 16 municipalities, seven have tax exempt property that is less than that average percentage. The rest are higher.
Middle Township, with Court House as the county seat, has 19% of its total assessed value of property tax exempt. The township has a total value of $2.8 billion, with $529 million exempt. The big culprit here is the property owned by the county government, including the jail, the cemetery and the county office complex. The township also hosts the county’s only hospital.
Cape May also has a sizable 15% of property exempt but much of that has to do with the Coast Guard, which does not place a high burden for municipal services on the city. In terms of churches and charitable organizations, Ocean City leads other municipalities in terms of value of assessed properties that are exempt.
The town with the lowest level of tax exempt property is West Cape May, with Avalon following close behind. Both are at less than 2.2% of total assessed value tax exempt; most of it is the town’s own public property.
Happenings
A West Cape May cannabis retailer is planning a grand opening for Oct. 28. The shop represents the first state licensed cannabis business in Cape May County.
Food truck operators complain that Middle Township’s new regulations are hurting their businesses and making it difficult to operate in the township.
Occupancy tax collections are trending up. Latest data shows double-digit increases for the first two quarters of 2023 when compared to 2022.
Cape May will seek to incorporate the exiting 100-year-old waterworks building in its plans for a new desalination plant.
County officials briefed Stone Harbor Council on bridge and road work planned for the borough. The focus was on the replacement of the moveable span on the 96th Street bridge.
Wildwood has 14 candidates for seats on the city’s governing body, including Pete Byron who recently resigned as mayor ahead of a move by the state attorney general to unseat him. Byron pled guilty to federal tax evasion charges.
Middle Township Chamber of Commerce held a Meet the Candidates night for positions ranging from state legislative contests to the race for school board.
Renovations on Wildwood Crest’s Beach Patrol building are on track for a planned opening ahead of the 2024 summer season.
Tropical Storm Ophelia damaged beaches in Stone Harbor, leading to discussion of recommendations in a recent beach study concerning ways the borough might preserve sand on its beaches for longer periods.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew introduced legislation to prevent the issuance of IDs to individuals who are in the country illegally.
Middle Township has announced the completion of its Del Haven and Green Creek water supply project. Individuals homes now have until May 1, 2024, to connect to the system.
Lower Township is continuing to make progress on the renovation of community parks, with the completion of the public restroom facility at Lincoln Boulevard and the pavilions at David C. Douglas Sr. Memorial Park.
A Middle Township home on Shunpike Road was hit by a car Friday, Sept. 15, and has now been declared unlivable. Two days earlier, an early morning fire caused significant damage to a Dennis Township home while no one was at home.
The commanding officer of the Coast Guard Training Center Cape May can often be seen engaged in the same activities that are required of recruits.
The state has agreed to North Wildwood’s construction of a protective bulkhead to help shield its currently very exposed beach patrol headquarters.
Spout Off of the Week
Cape May County – Reading the spout-offs about the fire dept. taxes and new equipment. The answers can be found with an app. You will solve 2 problems. Lack of volunteers and transparency of finances. Most peoples fire taxes run about $1.40 a day for well trained professionals that would risk their life and well being for your family. Fire companies and commissions are fighting inflation. 12-15% and they are capped at raising taxes 2%. Not realizing that updated equipment saves you on your fire ins. Pick up an application and see the cost of volunteering. You say no, that’s why I pay taxes, so do they!!
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
