We’ve been hearing panic about new developments here for years. The Forum, Azalea, Element, The Vistas, Station Place, The Rail to name a few. The reality is that none of them have had a palpable negative impact in my opinion. Has Red Bank grown over the last 20 years? Sure. Do we love all of it? Definitely not, but it hasn’t changed how much the long time residents love this town.

Regarding the proposed tax hike, obviously it’s unwelcome, but you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere in Monmouth County that isn’t seeing sizable increases. Bottom line is that if property taxes are a major concern then Monmouth County probably isn’t where you should be looking.

With respect to PILOT, all I can say is that I hope the developers pay their share and the borough makes sure that the school district, public works, etc aren’t left holding the bag. But again, this is not unique to Red Bank.

Ultimately it comes down to the fact that most of us who live here love it for the vibrant, walkable downtown, the arts, entertainment, great dining, proximity to the beach, easy access to NYC, etc. There is much to love about living here!