Governor Sherrill Moves Quickly to Deliver for New Jersey in First 100 Days

TRENTON – During Governor Mikie Sherrill's First 100 Days in Office, she has fought tirelessly to lower costs, create opportunity for our kids, and make state government more accountable to the people of New Jersey. She has also stood strong against attacks from Washington, charting a different path forward in New Jersey focused on affordability.

“From Day One I’ve moved quickly to drive down costs and deliver real results for the people of New Jersey – and I’ve followed through: freezing rate hikes, expanding power generation, protecting the Gateway tunnel, and making state government more efficient and effective,” said Governor Sherrill. “We’ve hit the ground sprinting in these first 100 days tackling some of our most pressing challenges, and we’re just getting started. While Trump sows chaos and shows how poor leadership harms people, we’re showing in New Jersey that strong state leadership can create opportunity for middle-class families.”

"I’ve spent my life involved in service-oriented work, and I’m proud to be serving in an administration that puts people first,” said Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell. “In just 100 days, we’ve shown what it means to lead with purpose – getting out into communities across New Jersey, working alongside small businesses, faith leaders, and educators to expand opportunity and remove barriers. We’re strengthening our workforce by connecting education to real career pathways, ensuring our elections remain secure, accessible, and trusted, and deepening partnerships that help communities thrive. This administration is focused on delivering real results that people can see and feel in their everyday lives.”

Lowering Costs and Expanding Clean Power Generation

Governor Sherrill has taken decisive action to bring down utility costs and strengthen New Jersey’s energy future, starting on Day One:

• Declared a State of Emergency on Utility Costs to freeze rate hikes and advance new energy generation
• Accelerated efforts to fast-track battery storage development and increase competition in energy incentives
• Removed a decades-old moratorium on new nuclear development and increased competition in energy incentives
• Announced a historic expansion of the Community Solar Energy Program to 3,000 MW

Boosting Housing Affordability

Governor Sherrill has prioritized initiatives that expand access to homeownership and generational wealth and make it easier to build housing in New Jersey:

• Proposed a significant reduction in diversions from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in the FY 2027 budget, so that these funds can be used to develop more affordable homes statewide
• Proposed an expansion in funding for the Down Payment Assistance program to help more families afford their first home
• Issued an Executive Order creating a cross-agency Housing Task Force to help create, accelerate, and increase access to housing opportunities for families

Making Government Work Better: The “Save You Time and Money” Agenda

The administration has prioritized efficiency, transparency, and accountability across state government:

• Established a Chief Operating Officer role to improve government performance
• Issued an Executive Order to streamline permitting processes to reduce bureaucratic delays and deliver relief to families and businesses
• Announced the beginning of the pilot phase of the Permitting Dashboard, featuring 10 projects, to ensure transparency, efficiency, and accountability throughout the state permitting process
• Launched the New Jersey Report Card so residents can see exactly how their tax dollars are being spent and what that funding is delivering for families
• Announced the 21 County Saving You Time and Money Tour, with completed stops in Hunterdon County, Burlington County, Mercer County, and Bergen County, to connect with New Jersey businesses and industry leaders on permitting reform, regulatory simplification, and improving the overall business experience

Investing in Transit and Infrastructure

Governor Sherrill has made major investments to improve reliability and modernize transportation:

• Successfully fought to restore funding for the Gateway Tunnel project, getting workers back on the job and holding President Trump accountable for illegally withholding funding
• Increased funding for NJ Transit in the proposed FY 2027 budget, including a full fleet replacement by 2031
• Issued an Executive Order to improve commuter experience, including upgrades to NJ Transit’s app, cleanliness, and station safety
• Advanced the Newark Bay Bridge program – a historic investment that will create nearly 20,000 jobs

Standing Up for New Jersey

Governor Sherrill has taken strong action to protect New Jersey against the Trump administration’s chaos:

• Filed lawsuits against federal tariffs driving up costs for small businesses and families
• Banned ICE from launching operations on state property, created a “Know Your Rights” portal to support residents, and launched a resident reporting portal to allow New Jerseyans to document potential ICE misconduct
• Signed legislation to expand early voting for May municipal elections
• Strengthened protections for residents’ personal data and privacy
• Signed legislation keeping New Jerseyans safe by requiring law enforcement officers to reveal their facial identity during certain public interactions
• Joined with Roxbury Township to file a lawsuit preventing the federal government from converting a warehouse into an immigration detention facility
• Signed legislation strengthening trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities
• Proposed over $100 million in FY 2027 budget to support counties with SNAP administrative costs and to maintain Medicaid coverage for families
• Prioritized reproductive freedoms with a $52 million proposed investment in family planning services and reproductive health access

Supporting Kids by Investing in Education and Youth Mental Health

Governor Sherrill has made protecting children and addressing the youth mental health crisis a central priority through coordinated, statewide action:

• Proposed record investments in education, including $12.4 billion for K-12 schools and $1.4 billion for preschool
• Prioritized expanding access to affordable child care and strengthening health coverage through NJ FamilyCare
• Directed all relevant state agencies to coordinate efforts on kids’ online safety and mental health
• Created the office of Youth Online Mental Health Safety and Awareness
• Proposed doubling last year’s investment, for a total of $15 million, into high-impact tutoring

Investing in Affordability and Opportunity: FY 2027 Budget

Governor Sherrill’s proposed an affordability budget that builds on the administration's priorities by delivering record property tax relief, investing in New Jersey families, and strengthening the state’s long-term fiscal foundation. The proposed budget:

• Invests $60.7 billion in key programs focused on affordability, fiscal responsibility, and long-term economic growth
• Introduced the most fiscally responsible budget in decades that cuts the deficit in half while fully funding the pension system
• Delivers a record $4.2 billion in direct property tax relief
• Invests over $690 million in higher education financial assistance programs
• Supports women- and minority-owned businesses by turbocharging the Business Action Center and investing in training and technical assistance to help businesses navigate the State’s procurement and contracting system
• Includes school meals funding for nearly 21,000 schoolchildren and $85 million for aid to various New Jersey food banks and emergency feeding organizations