Sea Isle City Taxpayers Association

Important News

SICTA General & Board Meeting -- the public is encouraged to attend all SICTA mtgs! Saturday, January 14, 10am, Sea Isle City Branch of Cape May County Library, 48th St. and Central Ave. Interested in getting more involved with SICTA? We would love to chat with you! Please send an e-mail to info@sicta.org

Flood vents criminal summonses! The hearings for property owners who received criminal summonses was held on Thursday, September 15. The next SICTA newsletter is about to go to press and will have what we think is a very interesting summary of the current state of this ongoing saga.

The City held an informational meeting on Saturday, August 20). We're still unclear re: all of the details of the City's push to upgrade the flood vents of some SIC homes. What we (think we) know: 193 property owners received a criminal summons ($500 per day fine and/or 90 days in jail!!) because SIC adopted an ordinance that -- after the fact -- makes many flood vents illegal (even though they were legal when occupancy permits were granted). Apparently, the City is trying to get lower flood insurance rates from FEMA -- but, the catch is that many SIC property owners will have to make expensive repairs first before FEMA will lower our collective rate.

This Press of AC article briefly covers the issue from the City's point-of-view.

Several residents who received a summons are getting together in-person and via e-mail to discuss flood vents and related issues like bonus rooms. If you would like us to forward your name and e-mail address to them, send an e-mail to vents@sicta.org.

FEMA’s flood vent rules
FEMA's bonus room rules
March 2007 Press of AC article detailing Avalon's push to reduce flood insurance rates

Recent SICTA News & Research, Municipal Documents, Noteworthy Newspaper Articles

Note: only Members receive the quarterly newsletter. Also, some of the items below are a bit old, but we leave them here because we think they are interesting and still relevant.

SICTA's October newsletter! Newsletter.

Joint meeting of the Sea Isle City Board of Education and Sea Isle City Council! 10/13/11 presentation.

City's ordinance to allow alcoholic beverages at Excursion Park! Ordinance.

Sexual harassment lawsuit against the City was settled! The settlement agreement is posted on our Lawsuits page.

SICTA summarizes May 2011 campaign contributions! Details.

SICTA Press release! Sea Isle City Taxpayers Association Delineates Purpose.

SICTA's March 2011 Newsletter! Newsletter.

Lawsuits! Visit our Lawsuits page to read our press releases and view details of settled and pending lawsuits against the City.

SICTA Research: 2009/2010/2011 water & sewer rate study! 12/4/10 SICTA Press Release: MUA Charges - Sea Isle Losing the Race? [The preceding is for those of you who have been keeping up with w&s issues; if you need to get up-to-speed first, please visit our Water & Sewer page.]

Annual SIC salaries listing! 2010 list of top 50% highest SIC employee salaries.

SICTA press release: tax dollars paid for a study we don't understand! Great news: a consultant study paid for by the State calculates that SIC can save $56 per household per month by sharing trash services with other local towns. We love that! Unfortunately, we calculate trash costs per household per month at $16.55. Does this mean that other local towns will pay us to take our trash? SICTA thinks that the consultant should respond to the City's and our requests for an explanation of their conclusions -- or they should refund the State the $71,637.95 cost of the study. Press release. Report exhibit.

SICTA Press Release: 2/22/11 Press Release: SEA ISLE OUTSPENDS NEIGHBORING TOWNS’ LEGAL COSTS

SICTA/Sea Isle Revitalization/SIC Chamber Of Commerce annual SIC survey! 2010 survey results and analysis. [If you want to see results from prior years, visit the Charting Our Course page to see survey results from 2007 through 2009.]

Retiree benefits lawsuit! SICTA used the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to obtain a copy of the lawsuit filed against the City on behalf of employees and retirees. The June changes were hailed by the Mayor as resulting in major cost savings. We wonder how much actual savings will be realized when the costs of the lawsuit are added to the 2% one-time raise, and the four years of a 2.9% annual bump.

SICTA Press Release: 1/24/11 (Herald) Sea Isle City Taxpayers Association—Year in Review

Ever wonder about NJ crime stats? The ACLU published tips for using the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to get crime info. Here's the raw data they obtained from Newark. Ocean City releases its crime stats to the Herald.

SICTA Press Release: 12/6/10 (Herald) SICTA Press Release: MUA Charges - Sea Isle Losing the Race?

SICTA Press Release: 11/29/10 (Herald) Sea Isle City Cost Allocations - Accounting Chicanery?

SICTA Press Release: 11/15/10 (Herald) Rental Permits Decrease 6 percent in Sea Isle City

Sea Isle City Municipal Budget Projection for 2011! Here is the current draft. Stay tuned for SICTA analysis!

SIC's response to the Governor's checklist! SIC's response. Related AC Press article.

SICTA Press Release: 10/28/10 (Herald) Sea Isle City’s Taxpayers Association: “How’s business this summer”?

SICTA Press Release: 10/16/10 (Herald) Taxpayer Group Releases Survey Findings

County Clerk's Powerpoint presentation! County Clerk Rita Marie Fulginiti's slideshow from the SICTA October 9 General Public Metting.

SIC landfill news! We agree with you: "Increasing State Dredging Capacity through the Beneficial Re-use of Dredged Material" is not an eye-catcher. But, despite the document title, this consultant's report presented at the 9/14/10 Council mtg is interesting. And, see this AC Press article, too.

2010 SIC budget! The City's Budget Adoption Summary summarizes final budget and tax rate (+6.6%). and is consistent with our Charting Our Course research updated on 5/26. For more on the budget, please see our 2010 Budget Research page.

Beach Replenishment 2010! See the presentation made by George Savastano to Council on 4/14. Read this Press of AC article, too.

SIC current municipal projects summary! The City presented a list of upcoming and in-progress projects to Council on 4/10/10. Very interesting! Part1 Part2 Part3

Archived news and SICTA research

Recent News From Newspapers, etc.

1/5/12 (nj.com) 13 districts would be eligible for $4.1 million in new school aid under bill backed by Burzichelli-Riley

1/3/12 (Press) Cape May County tourism officials report revenue boosts in 2011, 'promising signs' for 2012

12/29/11 (Herald) Sea Isle Signs Contract to Build Welcome Center

12/23/11 (Herald) Dredge Staging for Sea Isle Beach Fill

12/23/11 (Herald) St. Joseph Catholic Church Dedicated

12/16/11 (Press) Local residents, officials surprised by Jan. 1 Garden State Parkway toll increase

12/15/11 (Herald) Sea Isle Passes Annual Salary Ordinance

12/13/11 (Press) Sea Isle City opens new library, which sports $5 million bayfront views

11/30/11 (Press) Cape May most dangerous county for bicyclists, data show

11/29/11 (Herald) Sea Isle To Terminate Contract with Current Health Plan