[TheForge] Is anyone on-line ? OT:

[CraigSchaefer]

If the land becomes worthless or 'worth less', the tax revenues lost will be enormous.   Better to require them pay an additional insurance kicker on that property tax in hurricane affected zones to reimburse the state for infrastructure that will need to be replaced every 50 years or so. 



Or let everyone have a yurt and a 4WD vehicle. 



----- Original Message -----


From: "Bruce ." <freemab222 at gmail.com> 
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Wednesday, November 7, 2012 7:24:16 AM 
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Is anyone on-line ? OT: 

You're missing my point.  If we redefine by law that it is illegal to 
construct ANYTHING on beachfront land where the previous construction 
was washed away by a storm, then the value of that land will NOT be 
high.  OTOH, if someone with money to waste wants to buy the (former) 
building lot and NOT build on it, more power to him.  Maybe he'll go 
there and set up a tent for a summer vacation.  I would have no 
problem with that.  It's permanent construction that's the problem. 

The real issue is that the shoreline currently is a constant drain on 
the taxpayers.  When politicians finally get that through their thick 
skulls, things might begin to change. 

Nearly 30 years ago, I attended a presentation by hydrological 
engineers, well attended by the public, including politicians.  The 
presentation clearly showed that hard barriers like sea walls were 
counterproductive because they act like a node on a vibrating string, 
and therefore must BE a node (immovable) lest they be destroyed by 
wave action.  (This is only wave action, mind you -- never mind storm 
surge.)  They were specifically addressing the sea wall in the Sea 
Bright and Monmouth Beach, pointing out that it was an exercise in 
futility.  (Not everybody knows that that sea wall was constructed by 
and for the RR that used to run along there.  The RR dumped thousands 
of tons of rock to protect the tracks.  Protecting the houses was 
irrelevant to them.  Blocks of houses had already washed away!) 

After the scientists and engineers spoke, the politicians had their 
say.  To a man, they proclaimed that NJ would never abandon the 
residents on the shore, and would REBUILD the sea wall (that had just 
been explained to be ineffective). 

I was one of the first speakers after the politicians.  I immediately 
reiterated what the engineers had said, and, speaking as a taxpayer, 
told the politicians where they could shove their sea wall.  I was a 
little politer than that, but not much.  I got a round of applause 
from the people in the audience. 

The taxpayers understand the issue.  It's our "leaders" who don't.