Court: No secession for N.J. town

STRATHMERE, N.J., Aug. 2 (UPI) -- A New Jersey court rejected a small island town's attempt to secede from a mainland township to join a neighboring city.

The appellate court upheld an October 2011 decision that prevented a Strathmere residents' group from seeking to secede from Upper Township due to the loss of tax revenue the township would experience, the Cherry Hill (N.J.) Courier-Post reported Thursday.

The residents' group, Citizens for Strathmere and Whale Beach, had sought to join neighboring Sea Isle City. A report issued by Upper Township officials in 2009 said the move would improve municipal services for island residents and decrease their property taxes.