The senator also revealed that his District 1 colleagues, Assemblymen Nelson T. Albano and Matthew Milam, have also formally signed on as co-sponsors of repeal legislation. Albano and Milam are the first Democrat legislators in the Assembly to join the repeal effort. Support for the legislation now stands at 47; 32 in the Assembly and 15 in the Senate.
In speaking today, Senator Van Drew decried the RGGI Cap & Trade program for worsening New Jersey’s economic climate and making the state less affordable for New Jersey residents and taxpayers.
“Without question everybody’s utility bill will increase,” said Van Drew. “Every business’ utility bill will increase. The cost of energy for everyone will increase and that’s working folks, poor folks, middle class folks, small businesses, large businesses, across the board their costs are going to go up.
“And when that happens it creates a problem. It creates a problem where businesses don’t want to locate in New Jersey. It creates a problem, again, where it becomes unaffordable for the people to live here.
“And, you know, there’s only so much that we can pick people’s pockets. The people in New Jersey pay high taxes, they pay high tolls, they pay high fees, in some instances they’re regulated to death. We just can’t do it anymore.”
AFP-NJ state director Steve Lonegan added that RGGI was a drain on the economy of South Jersey.
“We know how Atlantic City is struggling; how our shore communities are struggling and a big component of that is the cost of electricity. And that’s being driven by the RGGI program.
“And that’s why we will not stop until this Cap & Trade scheme is repealed.”
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