New Jersey Families Are Buried Under Sky-High Utility Bills. Mikie Sherrill’s Plan Will Deliver Relief on Day One.
New Jerseyans’ electric utility bills are surging, increasing 20% or more. What was already unaffordable has become unbearable. Our residents shouldn’t have to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table.
This isn’t a distant policy issue—it’s every New Jerseyan’s reality. Parents are skipping meals just so their children can study under a lamp. Seniors are cutting back on medication because they can’t pay their bills. These are not abstract inconveniences; they are threats to daily life.
This is the Garden State—where families should be able to plant roots, grow their dreams, and thrive. But with soaring utility costs, too many households are watching those dreams wither under utility bills they can’t pay.
We need a leader in Trenton who immediately sees this crisis for what it is and brings real solutions. Mikie Sherrill is that leader. Her plan begins on Day One, where she will declare a State of Emergency on Utility Costs and stop the rate hikes, ensuring that the average New Jersey household sees no cost increase.
Mikie will take bold action from multiple fronts. First, freezing rates will deliver immediate relief for families as the Sherrill administration works to drive down those costs. Second, her long-term plan will build an “energy arsenal” of inexpensive, in-state power—expanding solar and battery storage, upgrading nuclear facilities, and modernizing natural gas. She will cut red tape, so projects break ground fast, because more power means lower bills. Mikie will demand accountability and transparency from the utility companies so they open their books, after making record profits, to make sure they are not price-gouging families in New Jersey. Finally, she will take PJM, the regional grid operator, to court for their years of delay and mismanagement, which have driven prices up and restricted the availability of more affordable energy sources.
Mikie has proven she can lead in a crisis. After nearly 10 years in the Navy, including as a helicopter pilot and Russian policy officer, she is tough and trained to handle emergencies. As governor, she’ll bring that same courage to Trenton—unafraid to take on utility companies, grid operators, or even her own party when they fail to put New Jersey families first.
We have been crushed by soaring costs for too long. We deserve a governor who will treat this as the true emergency it is. Someone who acts immediately, fights boldly, and most importantly, delivers results.
As mayors deeply connected to our communities, we stand behind Mikie Sherrill. New Jersey families can’t wait. Relief must begin on Day One—and with Mikie Sherrill, it will.
This op-ed is authored by Mayors for Mikie, representing a growing list of current and former mayors and deputy mayors united in support of Mikie Sherrill’s plan for New Jersey.