Interview: Leonard Desiderio

Leonard Desiderio

Commissioner Vice Director/Mayor Cape May County/ Sea Isle City

How did the local government help to foster economic activity during the pandemic?

We gathered business owners from across every sector in Cape May County and came up with a plan to reopen not only Cape May County but the entire state. The governor was impressed with our reopening plan, which helped to protect not only our residents but the millions of visitors who come to Cape May County. Cape May County was one of the first counties in the state to actually reopen.

How is Cape May County’s economy performing today?

The Cape May County economy remains strong, and I’m predicting this is going to be a banner year. We’re going to have the equivalent of two summers of activity in one. Properties are selling at record highs, rentals are at an all-time high, more people are moving to Cape May County than they have in decades, and the county is well-positioned for the future. People are so happy to be out again and we did this together.

What is the state of Sea Isle City’s economic health?

Sea Isle is a beautiful community that is witnessing a great deal of construction with record home and condo sales as a great number of individuals are deciding to make Sea Isle their home or part-time home. We are now getting back to our normal activities for the summer.

What challenges are businesses facing?

Labor is our No. 1 challenge. Help for small businesses, restaurants and hospitality is at an all-time low. However, we are not missing a step. Everyone is receiving the same quality of service they’re used to receiving but it may take a few more minutes because of the lack of help. There is such a demand to go out and have a good time, and small businesses are doing their best to accommodate everyone. Many visitors don’t even realize that fewer people are working because we’re so fired up to meet the demand.

Wildwood Beach is a highly popular tourist destination in Cape May County.

( ) and decrease of its summer population. Since 2015, and prior to the pandemic, the jobless rate has declined to under 6% in the summer months and increased to 15% in the off-season year-over-year. In April 2020, the rate shot up to nearly 28%, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, amid the pandemic. As conditions improved, the rate stood slightly above 7% in October 2020, just shy of traditional pre-pandemic summer unemployment levels, a good sign for the local economy.

As its largest industry segment, tourism is big business in Cape May County. In 2019, tourism expenditure in the county reached almost $7 billion. Prior to COVID-19, Cape May County averaged more than 10 million visitors a year. Despite a heavy hit from the pandemic, the county’s attractiveness as a destination was underpinned in 2020, as the local industry fared much better than other regions. Although direct tourism spending decreased by 21.1% last year, that still outpaced, by far, the statewide loss of 36.8%, the county reported.