Ocean County Commissioners remade, tax hike to fight development sought

January 8, 2026

Asbury Park Press

By Erik Larsen

TOMS RIVER — A completely transformed Ocean County Board of Commissioners convened Wednesday, marking a historic swearing-in ceremony and an immediate call by its new director for a tax referendum to combat overdevelopment.

Frank Sadeghi, serving as the board’s director for 2026, proposed at the Jan. 7 meeting a one-penny increase in the open space tax. He announced plans to place a referendum on the November ballot, arguing that the county’s current 1.2-cent tax rate is no longer sufficient to keep pace with rising land values.

Click here to read more.