Really Lavallette? Big Spike In Beach Badge Prices Coming

I move to Lavallette and a few weeks later this headline surfaces.

Just. My. Luck.

But yes, Lavallette is talking about increasing the price of their beach badges for the Summer of 2020.

These are the price increases that are in talks of being proposed:

Discounted Season Badge (before June 1st) $40.00 to $50.00

Season Badge (After June 1st): From $50.00 to $60.00

Senior Citizens: From $15.00 to $20.00

Weekly: From $30.00 to $40.00

Daily: From $10.00 to $12.00

AT THE VERY LEAST, they are keeping the disabled veterans and military service beach badges at $15.00. (Even though they should be free)

But why?

Because the amount of revenue was not nearly as high as it has been in past years due to the newly increased minimum wage. (As of July 1st, it became $10/hr)

Every single block in the town of Lavallette has an entrance to the beach meaning that a badge checker is needed for every single block.

I mean....okay, I guess that's a reason. But look at these numbers!

Last year, Lavallette raked in: $1,006,290 from beach badges alone.

This season, the town pulled in: $936,680 with there being a huge dip in weekly beach badge sales.

We say this every year but these prices are starting to rise at an exponential rate where I guess it is necessary to say it again.

If you keep raising the prices, people will not pay. The beaches will be empty, the boardwalks and parking won't generate revenue and the city will ultimately be the one that suffers.

The amounts listed above are still a hefty chunk of change. Let's not let greed get in the way.

And I'm not gonna lie, it does get a tad worse.