Letters: Beach restoration in N.J. benefits many
A note to the letter writer on her comments about beach restoration ("Let's stop throwing our money into the ocean," Friday):
Beach restoration does not take place just in New Jersey, but up, down, and around all three coastlines in the United States. The Great Lakes Dredging Company, which did the New Jersey work, has done projects around the world. The new sand on the beaches of Strathmere and Sea Isle City all came out of a closed and dangerous inlet.
In New Jersey, tourism is the number-one industry. This equals jobs. The beaches in New Jersey are not just for the rich. There are 3,400 homes in Sea Isle City; 155 of those are on the beach, and 2,700 homes are rented in the summertime.
The majority of the homeowners are two-income families. They have worked hard for their piece of the Shore. If you want to see your wasted tax dollars, study Alaska, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. The dollars spent on New Jersey beach restoration every five to 10 years are a pittance compared with the incredible waste we endure yearly at the hands of those states. Please clean up your own yard before looking at ours.
Tom Clifford
Marlton
