Sea Isle City, VFW join to offer free beach tags to veterans
Sea Isle City Beach Tags
By BRIAN IANIERI Press of AC Staff Writer | Posted: Tuesday, February 2, 2010
From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Sea Isle City.
This year, Sea Isle City Veterans of Foreign War Post 1963 plans to purchase city beach tags for veterans.
VFW Commander Charles Haines said he does not know how much the idea will cost the local VFW over the course of a summer.
He said it was a nice gesture for veterans – and maybe even a way for the Sea Isle City VFW to pick up some new members.
Before Memorial Day, seasonal tags cost $15 apiece.
“Through the course of the summer, I don’t think it’ll be too much. We have a lot of generous donations to our community,” he said.
“We’re going to try it this summer and see how it goes. If it’s too crazy we’ll change directions,” he said.
Mayor Leonard Desiderio brought up the idea several weeks ago after a Vietnam veteran asked Sea Isle City Council to offer free beach tags to veterans.
Desiderio said veterans can go to the city’s beach tag office with proof of service to get a seasonal beach tag.
“You’ll get the free tag and the VFW will reimburse the city for it,” Desiderio said.
“This will be a way to honor our veterans. It’s a small way of saying thank you,” he said.
The agreement between the city and the VFW was instrumental in allowing the idea to happen, Desiderio said.
Even if Sea Isle City itself wanted to provide free beach tags to service members, state law would prohibit it, he said.
A bill under consideration in the state Legislature, A-289 proposes allowing municipalities to provide free or discounted beach tags to active military and New Jersey National Guard members.