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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsthe EnvironmentNew JerseyTourismMunicipal FinanceBeach AccessPublic Trust DoctrineStates: New Jersey•••Started 4mos agoActive 3wks ago

Should New Jersey ban municipalities from charging fees for beach access badges?

New Jersey is one of the few states that allows shore towns to charge for beach access via badges or "tags." Proponents of the fees argue they are necessary to fund lifeguards, trash removal, and boardwalk maintenance without burdening local property owners, often shifting the cost to summer tourists (locally known as "Bennies" or "Shoobies"). Opponents cite the Public Trust Doctrine, arguing that the ocean is a natural resource that should be open to all citizens regardless of income.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 1.3k America voters.

62%
Yes
38%
No
51%
Yes
31%
No
8%
Yes, the ocean is a public trust and should be free for everyone.
4%
No, beach users should pay for lifeguards, not the taxpayers.
3%
Yes, but allow towns to recoup costs via parking fees instead.
3%
No, charging tourists ('Bennies') keeps local property taxes lower.

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 1.3k America voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 1.3k America voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from America voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @BDY33ZS from New Jersey  answered…3wks3W

No. If the money is helping towards keeping our beaches clean, then I am all for it.

 @BDT277F from New Jersey  answered…4wks4W

i’ve never purchased a beach pass and i visit the beach to fish most weekends, they can’t do anything about it SMD

 @BDL8B9N from New Jersey  answered…1mo1MO

The government has no authority in interfering with local issues like this.

 @BDC5G28 from New Jersey  answered…2mos2MO

Ohio

 @BCWYTKX from New Jersey  answered…2mos2MO

Out of county residents should be required to pay for access to the beaches at a higher price than in county residents.

 @B7CPWKT  from New Jersey  answered…2mos2MO

Yes, only for locals.

 @BCMMRKW from New Jersey  answered…3mos3MO

Yes, nobody can "own" a beach

 @BBXW7TN from New Jersey  answered…4mos4MO

I think we should charge to keep the beach from getting too crowded, but also no because its a beach you should be able to go on it.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2yrs2Y

Elizabeth Warren Walks Back Murder Comments

Congressional Democrats broadly denounced the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Friday morning, after Republicans started accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren of excusing violence.“No one's condoning this,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). “Violence never is the right answer for anything. And it was a horrible murder, a tragic loss for his family.” Warren this week condemned the shooting, but added that people “can be pushed only so far.”"We'll say it over and over," Warren said on MSNBC’S “The ReidOut.” " Violence is never the answer. This guy [Luigi Mangione] gets a trial who's allegedly killed the CEO of UnitedHealth, but you can only push people so far, and then they start to take matters into their own hands."In a statement to POLITICO, Warren said, “Violence is never the answer. Period. I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder.” Top Republicans denounced Warren's comments and the walked-back rhetoric, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) calling it “inappropriate and dangerous.”Some House Democrats asked about the incident on Thursday pivoted the conversation to discuss policy options on health care or gun safety.“I don't really know that this is really a space that Congress normally weighs in on,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). “But at the end of the day, I think it’s an opportunity, because now people are talking about health care and to talk about the fact that this industry has honestly not been as helpful as it could be.”“Violence is never the answer,” said Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.). “We know that there are people suffering, there’s great challenges in healthcare. There's great challenges, and people have, in fact, been wronged, but a process of governance is the way to address that, not violence.”And Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) who denounced the murder, said the killer should be prosecuted and that “I do know that allegedly a ghost gun was used, and we should also ban ghost guns. There's no reason for them beyond the streets.”

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About This Data

Based on 1.3k responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

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iSideWith. (2026). “Should New Jersey ban municipalities from charging fees for beach access badges?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://www.isidewith.com/polls/5548645182

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