Begun, the Beach Badge Wars have. That’s what Yoda would say if he got a load of Assembly bill 4816, penned by Assemblywoman Margie Donlon of Monmouth. In short the bill would allow surfers and fishermen to get on New Jersey beaches for free.
Basically, if you’re coming to the beach and are going to be setting up shop beneath the high tide line — surfers in the water, fisherman on the lip of the ocean — you don’t need to pay the sometimes (well, often) ridiculous beach badge fees. As it stands now, veterans are exempt from having to buy beach badges, and depending on the town, children, seniors, active military, etc. may be exempt.
But everyone else? Pay up. And it’s expensive, bordering on not worth it. For instance: If I want to take myself, my wife, and my three kids to Belmar next summer — two of my kids will be over 13 — it will cost me $48.
To walk on the beach. That, my friends, is an outrage. I suppose I should hope this law gets passed, and then I’ll fashion a quintet of fishing poles out of tree branches and explain to the beach badge police that we’re here to fish.
I’m sure that will go over well. Here’s the thing: Every other state with a beach has figured out a way to let people enjoy the natural wonder without beach badges. Whether it’s through the state general budget, or tourism taxes, or private-public partnerships, they’ve all figured it out.
But us? Nope. Gonna cost me $50 to go to the g–damn beach. So to start, I applaud Donlo.
