N. Wildwood's announcement of a four-cent property tax increase is absurd on so many levels. $1.5 million for beach replenishment alone will get washed away with one storm and is nothing more than throwing away hard-earned taxpayer money. Twenty years ago we never had increases like this and we are the same size population today with a smaller-width beach. Perhaps reducing the fund balance by $300,000, eliminating 20 percent of summer hires and work only four months instead of six and eliminate a few non-essential positions at the lifeguard station could eliminate most of the tax increase.