New Jersey has been on a roll with lots of accolades. Most recently, NJ was named the best state to live in.

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Of course, someone had to rain on our parade. What bothers me about this particular opinion is that it comes from someone who actually is from New Jersey!

New Jersey Advanced Media recently did a piece about how NJ has too many towns and listed 25 that "need to go."

A few of them are in Monmouth County.

First up:

Shrewsbury Township

The author wrote:

Why it needs to go: Welcome to the smallest New Jersey municipality by land area: about one-tenth of a square mile squeezed between Tinton Falls and Shrewsbury Borough. When you hear someone mention Shrewsbury, it’s almost always the borough, not this little blip. New Jersey has a handful of township-versus-borough issues but this one is the most egregious. Eli Manning could almost throw a football across Shrewsbury Township — get rid of it.

A "blip?" That's pretty harsh, especially if you live in the Township of Shrewsbury. Sure, there are only just over a thousand residents, but they're people! Small towns are great! I know, I know, the taxes, the unnecessary schools, and resources. We're not getting into that discussion here. There's nothing wrong with having a handful of charming small towns.

Lake Como

The author wrote:

Why it needs to go: If you know the Jersey Shore, you know Lake Como comprises little more than a big pond, the sprawling party spot Bar Anticipation and a handful of residents who endlessly have to explain to friends that they don’t live in Belmar, the beachfront borough that surrounds them on three sides. Lake Como is almost Belmar — it even used to be South Belmar — just make it Belmar already.

Ha! Ok, not altogether wrong. However, the public voted on making Lake Como a thing. The residents of Belmar wanted to separate themselves from South Belmar, now Lake Como.

Loch Arbour

The author wrote:

Why it needs to go: I live at the Shore in Monmouth County and I reserve the right to believe that all beachfront property from Route 36 down to Convention Hall should just be considered Long Branch. That means no Deal, no Allenhurst, and definitely no Loch Arbour. Riding my bike, I cross through the fattest section of Loch Arbour in one minute flat. Any town my rusty old Mongoose can make it through in 57 seconds doesn’t deserve its own government.

So it's not just Loch Arbour, Deal and Allenhurst should get the boot? I realize that Loch Arbour is extremely small. The population is just over 200. Yes, you read that correctly. I don't know, I think the vast amount of different towns give the Jersey Shore its awesome personality.

Bottom line Bobby Olivier. Think what you want about the rest of New Jersey, but leave Monmouth the way it is.

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