Days before the Twp. Committee election, the taxpayers of Barnegat receive a mailing from the Barnegat Economic Development Committee (E.D.C.) that looks a lot like the one they sent out before last year's election. Not much has changed for the better, and Money Magazine shows that Barnegat is clearly not # 1 anymore. Barnegat doesn't even rank as a "Best Place To Live" in the magazine's most current ratings. New Jersey Magazine doesn't even list Barnegat in its current list of "Best Downtowns" in New Jersey. The old # 1 ranking from 2006 in New Jersey Monthly Magazine used 2005 property tax rates to come to its ranking. Skyrocketing taxes due in part to the 8.6 % tax increase served up by J.J. Novak and the current Twp. Committee has not only made us NOT the best place to live anymore, it has unfortunately made us the best place to leave. As For Sale signs pop up all over town, Barnegat needs a change in leadership and a change in direction so we can feel proud once again.

Take out the EDC mailer you received before LAST YEAR'S election. If you don't have it, don't worry...we saved it for easy reference. It mentions "Sweet Jenny's Restaurant Expansion"," Old Gulf Station Approved For Retail Outlet", "New Restaurant at North End of Public Dock", and of course don't forget "Preliminary Approval Given to Sonic Restaurant on Route 9 Across from the A & P. This Will Be the First Sonic in NJ". NOTHING HAPPENED WITH ANY OF THESE THINGS! We covered some of these on this website, and we offered a REAL plan for economic development in our downtown. We tried to do something while our Twp. Committee did nothing.

Our elected leaders have failed us. The current EDC mailer is painful to read, and is glaring evidence of absolutely NO IMPROVEMENTS for Barnegat this year. It shamefully states projects that were completed last year and is totally lacking in any substance. We deserve better for the taxes we pay. We can only hope that no tax dollars were spent on this EDC mailer. That would be rubbing salt in our wounds. But then again, maybe we deserve it. If we as voters put the same people back in office when they fail us again and again then we get what we deserve...high taxes and no improvements. Just please EDC...stop rubbing it in our face. Maybe -- just maybe -- this time you will wake the sleeping giant and the voters will change Barnegat for the better. Electing Dororthy Ryan would be a step in the right direction. Let's hope that this sleeping giant wakes up before November 6th and does something.

Click here to see Money Magazine's ranking of the Best Places to Live in 2007. Sadly you won't see Barnegat, but you will see Ocean Acres.

Click here to see New Jersey Monthy Magazine's ranking of Best Downtowns in New Jersey.

Click here to read DowntownBarnegat.com's story on Sonic not coming to Barnegat.

Click here to read DowntownBarnegat.com's story about the railroad cars that sadly had to be destroyed.

Click here to read DowntownBarnegat.com's real Economic Development Plan written last year.