Congressman Van Drew renewed his call for immediate action from Governor Sherrill as utility bills across South Jersey continue to skyrocket, with many families now paying delivery fees that are double or even triple their actual energy usage.

“People in South Jersey are opening their bills and seeing something that just does not make sense,” said Congressman Van Drew. “In many cases, the delivery fees are higher than the cost of electricity itself. That is not normal, and it is not acceptable. For years, the state made bad decisions. They shut down reliable energy sources like nuclear, gas, and coal plants, including Beesley’s Point coal plant, which was supposed to be converted to natural gas but was instead shut down. They took dependable power off the grid and never replaced it. Instead, they poured billions into offshore wind projects that were never going to deliver affordable, reliable energy. Now we are forced to import energy from other states at a much higher cost, and that failure is being dumped directly onto the backs of our residents through these outrageous delivery fees.

Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson released a statement about A1715, known as the “John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey” after its advancement in today’s Assembly Appropriations Committee.

“The most fundamental right in a democracy is the right to vote. It is the cornerstone of our civic process, and since the founding of our nation, we have worked to uphold and expand that right for every eligible citizen.