JACKSON, NJ—Councilman Steve Chisolm of Jackson addressed concerns surrounding Memorial Day weekend activities at the Jersey Shore.

Jackson, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Jersey Shore” also relies heavily on the summer season as the Interstate 195 corridor runs through the township as well as Route 571 and Route 528, all access roads to the Jersey Shore.

He blamed low voter turnout and voter apathy that allowed New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s 2021 re-election.

He attributed that lower voter turnout to negative consequences witnessed over the holiday weekend. Instead of participating in traditional Memorial Day tributes, many people flocked to the boardwalks, enjoying good weather but also contributing to disorder.

“You will see stuff like what we saw this weekend. Instead of celebrating and honoring the veterans and those who have given their lives for us, people were out there taking advantage of that nice weather,” he explained.

Chisolm reported incidents of crime across at least three different boardwalks, criticizing the inability of police to address these issues due to recent legislation adequately.

He routinely refers to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy as “King Philip”.

“King Philip said no, it’s going to be perfectly fine, and what happened is it not perfectly fine that the police officers cannot go up to a 15-year-old and arrest them or hold them when they are breaking and entering when they are looting when they are stabbing people having fist fights,” he said.

Further, he spoke of the erosion of family oversight and discipline that previously deterred such behavior.

“Back in the day, it wasn’t what the police were going to do to you, it was what your parents were going to do to you when you got home that would have been the real threat,” Chisolm reminisced.

In concluding his remarks, Chisolm warned against complacency in elections beyond the primaries, implicitly criticizing policies endorsed by “King Philip” and his administration. He emphasized the long-term consequences of such governance on youth behavior and community safety.