The borough government of Jersey Shore is ready for 2026.

First, Borough Manager Sean Simcox confirmed there is zero tax increase in the proposed 2026 budget. The budget for the 2026 year is $2,219211.89.

“What we’re seeing is that we have not had a real high tax increase for years and years now. What we’ve done is…(work) to keep up with inflation and rising costs,” he said.

The reason for this, borough officials say, is because taxes on the local level is where, to use the cliche, the rubber meets the road.

“When you look at our budget…the funding is for flags for the Veterans Council along Allegheny Street, so, we have fresh flags for Veterans Day and Memorial Day. We give $500 to the Historical Society, as well as continue to run the public pool,” which made a profit in 2025.

Simcox explained the “local tax dollar is the best tax dollar you can pay. If you’re going to complain about taxes, the one tax dollar you don’t want to complain about is the local tax dollar.” It pays for the “street, your storm sewer, your police protection, your ambulance and fire protection,” as well as “your parks and your recreation, your road crew that picks up the leaves.”

He concluded, “These are things that are almost universally welcomed by the local citizenry.”

However, state taxes and federal taxes disappear into the unknown and go to projects that may or may not necessarily better their constituents.

“I’d rather see (my taxes) paid here, spent here on my sidewalk, on my sewer, protection and emergency services, then (for it to go) to Harrisburg or D.C. (where) it just evaporates,” he said.

Another part of the government that borough residents saw first hand was Mayor Lon Meyers working to spread the word about Jersey Shore’s bicentennial.

He spent much of 2025 selling banners to sponsors to pay for the festivities.

“We’re making a bigger deal about it for the July celebration,” Meyers said.

He added, “the Town Meeting Parade, which is held over the week of the Fourth of July, will have a great parade that day and that’s where we will have our float.”

Anybody can be in that parade as well, and I’m sure they’d be more than welcome to celebrate,” he said.

Meyers ran for mayor because he wanted to help the town, a trait he sees in many residents.

“The reason I became mayor was because I talked about being mayor for years to family and friends,” he said. “I was just kicking it around type of thing, but when the last mayor only was there for four months, I said I put my name in the hat.”

Another elected official people saw in 2025 was Councilwoman Denise Robbins, however, December 2025 marked her last meeting, as she opted not to run for reelection. Instead Crystal Kitchen, who attended the meeting, was elected in November 2025 and was sworn in this month.

“We (created) an ordinance thanking (Robbins) for her service” at the December borough meeting, Simcox said.