Kanitra Roasts Sherrill for Rebranding Reduced Electric Bill Credit as “Ratepayer Relief”
July 15, 2026, 11:59 am | in
Kanitra Roasts Sherrill for Rebranding Reduced Electric Bill Credit as “Ratepayer Relief”
7/15/2026
Assemblyman Paul Kanitra tours the Alpha Generation natural gas-fired power plant in Linden, N.J. Photo by Assembly Republican Office/Jennifer Peacock.
Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, fired up over the state’s response to recent storms and subsequent power outages, blasted Gov. Mikie Sherrill for poaching an electric bill credit program started by the Murphy administration, slashing the benefits, and calling it “ratepayer relief.”
“Not only did Gov. Sherrill steal this insignificant bill credit idea from Phil Murphy, she cut the credit by 75% and claims it actually does something to lower soaring electric costs. When your electric bill is $500 or $600 a month and you don’t have power in the sweltering heat, $25 bucks means nothing,” Kanitra (R-Ocean) said.
In the days following storms over the Independence Day weekend that knocked out power to more than 200,000 New Jersey customers, leaving tens of thousands without electricity for several days, Sherrill held a press conference announcing ways she was “building an affordable energy future.” One of the cost-cutting measures she cited is a continuation of a Murphy administration bill credit on customers’ electric bills. What she failed to mention is that this “$90 million investment in affordability” is a benefit she cut from $100 to $25.
“Twenty-five dollars doesn’t even cover a fast-food bill for a family, let alone deliver ratepayer relief or increase grid reliability. Sherrill celebrated at the FIFA World Cup games she criticized and then held a press conference on affordability, while struggling residents in Ocean and Monmouth counties sat at home in dangerous heat. It just shows how out of touch she is,” Kanitra argued.
A one-time $25 credit will be applied to every electric customer bill in New Jersey in August. Low-income residents will automatically receive separate $50 credits on their August, September and October bills through the state’s Residential Energy Assistance Payment. The low-income assistance was $175 under Gov. Murphy.
“Sherrill adopting every bad Murphy-era energy strategy is just as bad as no strategy at all. Chasing offshore wind, doubling down on solar panels and nominal bill credits won’t help us in the short term or the long term. New Jersey needs to totally reverse course, and that will only happen if Trenton Democrats are willing to come around to Republican policies or the people of New Jersey vote them out,” Kanitra said.
