Editing Ocean City, New Jersey (section)

===Beach===
[[File:Ocean City NJ beach looking north at 12th Street.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.2|Ocean City beach at 12th Street, August 2020]]
The concept of beach tags at the Jersey Shore was introduced in the late 1920s, but Ocean City did not establish them until 1976. [[Beach tag]]s are a major source of revenue for the city, with the $4.1 million in revenue generated in the 2016 season, the most of any municipality in the state.<ref>Hoover, Amanda. [http://www.nj.com/cape-may-county/index.ssf/2017/09/heres_how_much_money_shore_towns_raked_in_last_yea.html "Here's how much money Shore towns raked in off beach badges last summer"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124005928/http://www.nj.com/cape-may-county/index.ssf/2017/09/heres_how_much_money_shore_towns_raked_in_last_yea.html |date=January 24, 2018 }}, NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], September 2, 2017. Accessed January 23, 2018. "Ocean City - Revenue: $4.12 million; Price: Daily-$5; Weekly-$10; Seasonal-$25."</ref> In the 2017 budget, the projected $4.1 million in fees for beach tags and $3 million for parking were two of the city's biggest revenue sources, accounting for almost 9% of the city's annual budget of almost $80 million,<ref>Wittkowski, Donald. [http://ocnjdaily.com/ocean-citys-proposed-2017-municipal-budget-emphasizes-capital-projects/ "Ocean City's Proposed 2017 Municipal Budget Emphasizes Capital Projects"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124011130/http://ocnjdaily.com/ocean-citys-proposed-2017-municipal-budget-emphasizes-capital-projects/ |date=January 24, 2018 }}, ''OCNJ Daily'', March 15, 2017. Accessed January 23, 2018. "Ocean City's proposed $79.7 million operating budget reflects a healthy real estate market and should satisfy Wall Street credit-rating agencies, but will require local property owners to pay more in taxes this year, according to the city's chief financial officer.... Ocean City has the ability to tap different sources of revenue – in addition to local property taxes – to finance the operating budget. Beach tag sales and parking operations are two of the biggest revenue generators. The budget forecasts $4.1 million in beach tag sales and $3 million in parking revenue for 2017."</ref> and increased fees, including a doubling of the fee for daily tags, were part of an effort to bring the total up to $5&nbsp;million for the 2023 season.<ref>Conklin, Eric. [https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/ocean-city-approves-increasing-beach-tag-fees-for-2023/article_2e37f7e2-5152-11ed-ad6c-933867fa6593.html "Ocean City approves increasing beach tag fees for 2023; Moves comes after fees have gone decades without an increase"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', October 21, 2022. Accessed February 12, 2023. "The city expected to bring in $4 million in beach tag revenue in 2022, according to its budget. In 2021, the city collected more than $4.2 million in revenue. With the increase, it is estimated the city will collect more than $5 million in tag sales next year."</ref>

From early June through Labor Day, Ocean City requires individuals age 12 and up to purchase a beach tag to access its beaches.<ref>[https://www.ocnj.us/beach-faqs Guide to Ocean City Beaches], Ocean City, New Jersey. Accessed February 12, 2023.</ref> For the 2023 season (from the first weekend in June through Labor Day), a one-day pass will cost $10, a weekly pass was $20, and a seasonal pass for the full summer season will be $25. Additionally, there are free seasonal beach tags made available to military personnel. Beach tag revenue is used by the city to cover the costs of maintaining and cleaning the beaches. It is also used to hire and pay lifeguards and other members of the beach patrol for the city.<ref>[https://www.ocnj.us/beachtags/ Beach Fees], Ocean City, New Jersey. Accessed February 12, 2023.</ref>