OceanCity2050

06/10/2026

The Boardwalk Subcommittee's report and meeting is happening this Friday, June 12, 6 pm at the Ocean City Tabernacle. There has only been one other public meeting before this one, so take advantage of this opportunity to engage. The recorded meeting will be available the next day on the city's website.

06/10/2026

The Boardwalk Subcommittee is set to share their long-awaited report on recommendations for our boardwalk this Friday, June 12, at 6 pm at the Ocean City Tabernacle. It's arguably the most critical issue facing OC right now and we hope you can all come out and listen, learn, and ask questions. And when we show up this week, we will be keeping a "North Star" question in mind, about what ultimately serves our town and should be the guide for the work to come. For more on this, check out the latest OC Sentinel Letter to the Editor from OC2050 founder Bill Merritt.

Many of us who care about the future of Ocean City are looking forward to the final report from the Boardwalk Subcommittee, which was charged with evaluating the future of the boardwalk, including the former Wonderland Pier site, and developing recommendations to guide its long-term success. When th

05/27/2026

A thoughtful Letter to the Editor in this week’s OC Sentinel by Howie Atkinson focuses on the importance of process, data, and public engagement as the Boardwalk Subcommittee resumes its work.

He notes that before the committee jumps to zoning recommendations or site-specific conclusions, it should first secure a broad range of market data and tourism studies to better understand what today’s visitors actually want from Ocean City, and what may be changing. Decisions of this scale deserve a strong factual foundation and meaningful public input.

The Boardwalk is too important for major decisions to rest on incomplete analysis or predetermined outcomes.

It has been some time since the public received an update from the Boardwalk Subcommittee that was formed last year to help chart a path forward for the Ocean City Boardwalk. Councilman and Subcommittee Chairman Dave Winslow promised a robust process and significant public engagement for what is one

05/20/2026

We recently noted some of the community groups doing important work in Ocean City in our piece "A Celebration of Citizen Advocacy in Ocean City." In a letter to the editor out in the Ocean City Sentinel today, Bill Merritt notes that the diverse chorus of resident voices is healthy to our city, our community, and our democracy—and those groups are not going away. He adds that our elected officials would do well not to ignore these voices, but rather listen and embrace them.

Wonderland was not the only issue on voters’ minds. The public conversation — particularly on social media, which has effectively become the city’s primary communication channel — reflected growing concerns about the overall direction of Ocean City: overdevelopment, parking, congestion and t...

05/19/2026

The election may be over, but it’s still important to pay attention to our city's governance! The next Ocean City Council meeting will take place this Thursday, May 21, 6pm at City Hall, and one of the biggest items on the agenda is the 2026 budget.

Budget decisions impact taxes, spending, debt, and city priorities, so this is always an important issue for residents to pay attention to.

There will also be public comment opportunities for agenda items and general concerns. If you’re in town, consider coming out and listening in. Civic participation matters!

Hope to see you there.

The official website of Ocean City, NJ

05/04/2026

Citizen groups are on the rise in Ocean City! And that is a good thing. Engagement leads to better government and a better city. Community groups should be praised for the passion they bring and the storms they weather (such as Councilman Dave Winslow's baseless lashing out at OC Fairness in Taxes for raising legitimate financial conflict of interest concerns around Mayor Jay Gillian's recently surfaced $2M consulting agreement with Eustace Mita). It takes courage to stand up. These groups are doing so.

Ocean City has entered a new era of citizen engagement, and that is something to celebrate. An engaged electorate becomes an informed electorate. An informed electorate produces better government. And a better government yields a better city. Across the island, residents are stepping forward on is

05/02/2026

We recently heard about an undisclosed consulting agreement from Feb 2021 concerning Gillian, Mita, and Wonderland through a Letter to the Editor in the Ocean City Sentinel. If you care about plans for the boardwalk, you'll want to read it. Our latest enews, along with link to the letter and the consulting agreement here:

Dear Friends,This past week, the Ocean City Sentinel published a letter from David Breeden (OC Fairness in Taxes President) that highlighted a previously undisclosed $2M consulting agreement between Mayor Jay Gillian and Eustace Mita that surfaced only recently through court filings concerning the m...

04/25/2026

More than 350,000 people already here (or near here) don’t need a place to stay—they need a place to play. A true plan for the boardwalk incorporates strengthening and protecting local small business and boosting entertainments and dining that serve visitors and locals alike. Boutique lodging can be fine, set back. But the boardwalk frontage should be dedicated to entertainment.

by Ocean City 2050

04/21/2026

Memorial Day is around the corner! But the next few weeks are critical to Ocean City's future. Before we kick back, time to kick it into gear... Read more about what you can do right now: https://www.oceancity2050.org/campaigns/view-campaign/C9-OcifWLoC5vNYFvbvi_Mr7Qbt1YwML1SHqYlJLWELv5OLGH8UCXNFXQNjdv6ZOt6L8-TKCcjSJPwo4v32FxqASjmOax2fI

04/13/2026

Ocean City's proposed 2026 municipal budget is $118.48 million (more than doubled in 8 years). The local tax rate has risen from 35.6 cents in 2012 to a proposed 58.6 cents in 2026 (65% increase in 14 years).

So it’s fair to ask: If more development and higher assessed value were supposed to ease (or slow) the tax burden, why are taxpayers being asked to pay more?

Every time someone says Ocean City just needs "more ratables," the assumption goes something like this: More development means more tax revenue, lower burden on residents, better services, and a better quality of life. A rising tide lifts all boats. If only it worked that neatly.