From Philadelphia Magazine: There’s a real romanticism to the notion that Shore towns (like Brigantine) become almost private enclaves for the people who decide to live in them permanently. But there’s a flip side to that coin.
The number of full-time Brigantine residents continues to decline. That means fewer eyes on local government officials who have access to piles and piles of taxpayer dollars.
Second-homeowners aren’t allowed to vote in local elections. If they could vote, maybe the spending concerns would get debated a little more thoroughly. “A revolution was fought in this country for this very reason: taxation without representation”
“Millions of dollars flow into this city’s coffers, and no one knows where it goes. It’s very, very frustrating. The ultimate solution would be for all the homeowners to have the right to vote.”
More excerpts from PhillyMag.com article: There’s something a little maddening about ponying up big money for a vacation home only to find that it doesn’t buy you a meaningful seat at the table.
But it won’t be so easy to dismiss the out-of-towners as their control of local real estate grows even larger. In Avalon and Stone Harbor, part-time residents own a staggering 87 percent of properties
Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/news/2017/01/07/jersey-shore-politics/#KEOQMjcKomJ1MBfP.99
from jakel97 >
This scam works for Margate/Avalon/SH/Longport because property values are holding steady or rising. Look at Brigantine if you want to see what the future could hold. Out of control spending by the yocals, plummeting property values and trapped homeowners that can’t sell because of insane taxes. When the next recession hits( and it will) you will see a fire sale in many of these towns.
For once, I have to agree with this site. The police/fire/education sectors of this island are absolutely comical. Let’s take a page out of Atlantic City, break the deal with have with those departments, and cut salaries 25%. Residents declining, and department employees increasing? Makes ZERO sense. Focus on these fund drainers, and we can finally start to survive on this island instead of bailing out buckets of water just to stay afloat. Brigantine is the best beach town, but man they’re crooks in many departments.