Affordability a Major Focus in Final Gubernatorial Debate

By Anthony Birritteri, Editor-in-Chief On Oct 9, 2025

During last night’s final gubernatorial debate between Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli and Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill, held at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, both contenders for the state’s highest office drove home their respective message on affordability, from changing the school funding formula in an effort to lower property taxes to reducing energy costs, increasing affordable housing, and making state government more accountable. Candidates were also asked about the validity of the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Sherrill said she would, on Day 1 of her administration, declare a state of emergency on energy prices and freeze rate hikes. She also said she would add to the state’s energy arsenal, making sure more solar and energy storage installations are built while improving natural gas generation and developing more nuclear power. “We need to make sure we produce [energy] here because the PJM market … is screwed [up]. If we could produce energy at home, we could drive down costs,” she said.

On other cost-savings fronts, Sherrill said she would take on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) whom she said are driving up drug prices by 10 times. On the housing front, she would go after landlords who “collude to drive up rents. So, [I] will be addressing housing, healthcare and utility costs immediately,” she said.

On energy, Ciattarelli said he would pull New Jersey out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) one Day 1 of his administration, calling it a carbon tax policy that has been costing homeowners, tenants, and businesses between $300 million to $500 million a year. “It has been a failure,” he said. “Electricity prices are at an all-time high, and the air is no cleaner, while ratepayer dollars are going to other states.”

He said he would lift the moratorium on natural gas to generate electricity, expand nuclear generation in South Jersey, and expand the use of solar arrays on warehouse rooftops around the state, which he called prime real estate. By the same token, Ciattarelli said he would make President Donald Trump’s halt on offshore wind farms permanent off the Jersey shore.

On other cost-saving measures, Ciattarelli is looking to revise the school funding formula so that there is a more equitable distribution of state aid. This, he said, would reduce property taxes, because school costs now could “make up between 60% to 70% of one’s property tax bill.” He also called for more affordable housing, while saying there is an overdevelopment crisis in the state’s suburban communities because of high-density housing.

Concerning the ongoing federal government shutdown, Sherrill was asked why it was better for Democrats not to agree on a spending plan and fight against Medicare cuts and rising healthcare premiums rather than fund the government now and negotiate on healthcare issues later.

She responded, “We have seen at every level, cuts to affordability for working people. With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), [Republicans] have taken away healthcare from millions of people, and now they want to cut it from millions of others who have it under the Affordable Care Act markets. … That is what we are fighting for.”

The freezing of billions of dollars for the construction of the Gateway Tunnel Project is also tied to the federal government shutdown that started on October 1. Additionally, there is an ongoing review to make sure project funding is not based on unconstitutional DEI principles, as stated by Russell Vought, head of the federal Office of Management and Budget, on an X post.

Ciattarelli said construction on the Gateway program is not stopping, adding the shutdown would have to go on for two to three months before Gateway construction would “grind to a halt.”

Sherrill argued that the Gateway funds were Congressionally appropriated and that she would take the president to court if elected to stop the freeze. “These funds can lead to the creation of some 100,000 jobs, but if we run out of money, it will cost us $1 million per day. We already have shovels in the ground and are moving forward on this. I will constantly make sure we are addressing our transportation needs here and taking care of the New Jersey commuter,” Sherrill said.

When asked what he would do to increase employment in New Jersey, as the state’s unemployment rate hovers near 5% while the nation is near 4%, Ciattarelli responded, “New Jersey has always ranked 48th, 49th or 50th in the country as one of the worst places to do business.

“I am going to responsibly reduce the size and cost of state government to afford a tax cut for individuals and business, but make no mistake, you can’t cut your way out [of fiscal troubles],” he said.

Ciattarelli said he would grow the economy by making the state a better place to do business. “That means lowering the highest business tax in the nation, and lessening regulations without screwing the consumer, resident or doing irreparable harm to the environment,” he said.

The debate was hosted by the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. Moderators included Tamala Edwards of WPVI-TV Philadelphia and Bill Ritter of WABC-TV New York as well as Ana Patricia Candiani of Noticias 41 who joined the debate panel virtually.

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