If toms river adds beach tax, access should be free residents say

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Toms River Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill announced this week that he feels all township residents should bear the burden and cost of annual beach replenishment for barrier island communities. Hill called for township officials in the future, after his departure, to budget annually for spring beach replenishment.

While beachfront homeowners are among the highest taxed residents in Toms River, their property values are also significantly higher than most other parts of the town.

Under Hill’s plan, the burden of beach replenishment will be shared by all property tax payers.

Residents balked at the motion, saying if they are going to pay to replenish the beaches, they should be given free access to the town’s beaches.

That sentiment grew throughout the day where some called for free beach access to all Toms River residents.

“If we are going to be paying for the beach repairs, we should have free access to them,” one poster commented.

“You can’t tax your way out of a problem,” another commented. “Use the money paid to get on the beach.”

“The beaches had a banner year this year,” another said. “With the money they took in, just use of that money which you weren’t expecting that you didn’t make in the previous years.”

Others took issue with beachfront homeowners, saying it is their responsibility for building a home so close to the ocean and that they should foot the expense of beach replenishment

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.