On Feb. 22, 2025 MakeNJbeachesFree.org had a front pew seat at St. Augustine's Church, spreading the message. Afterwards, I sent the following letter to hopefully be printed in Asbury Park's weekly Coaster newspaper, and emailed it to each of the six candidates. As follows:
NJ needs a Democratic Governor to protect us from Mad King Donald, whose demented heartless incompetence during Trump’s First Pandemic, as Covid-19 may sadly be known, led to death and despair, shuttered businesses and lost dreams, and caused the painful inflation we suffer from to this day. So St. Augustine’s Church in Asbury Park was filled for the Monmouth County Democrats Black American Caucus Democratic Candidates’ Forum. Six leaders faced us – Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, former Montclair Mayor and State Teachers’ Union President Sean Spiller, former NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney, and Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill.
It is Black History Month, and this fine event was held in a church, so to honor a black leader from local history, my submitted written question was: “In 1887, the Reverend James Francis Robinson led a ‘wade-in’ at Asbury Park to help end segregated beaches. Today, high badges prices keep poor people off our public beaches. Do you support making NJ beaches free?”
Unfortunately, the only part read aloud by the moderator was “Do you support making NJ beaches free?” The responses might have differed if she’d read the full question, with the context of racial and economic discrimination that deprives many of the basic human right to sit in the sun by the sea. As it was, most of the candidates gave what they felt were responsible answers focusing on balancing the state budget and lowering taxes. Sure, free beaches would be great, but perhaps we can’t afford that right now, was the line of thinking.
Only Senator Sweeney immediately and strongly stood up for free beaches. He knows it would be good for NJ and New Jerseyans, and as the candidate with by far the most intimate knowledge of how our state government functions, he realizes that the cost to supply each beach town with a yearly grant for beach operations will add under .002% to the budget – less than a one five hundredth part, a virtually unnoticeable percentage. And this may be more than offset by an increase in tax revenue generated by booming tourism after we finally rid ourselves of the aggravating and oppressive beach fee system.
Hopefully the other candidates will come to realize the wisdom of Steve Sweeney’s position, and become supporters of free beaches in New Jersey. Please see MakeNJbeachesfree.org to learn more.