The “Activist Tax”: New Report Warns NJ Climate Mandates are Skyrocketing Energy Bills
the straff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, New Jersey residents are feeling the burn at the outlet, and a new report suggests it’s not just a fluke—it’s a “policy-induced affordability crisis.”
On January 8, 2026, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) released a sobering analysis titled “New Jersey: Ambitious Goals Meet Reality.” The report warns that rigid climate mandates and ideologically driven interventions are functioning as an “Activist Tax” on Garden State households, disproportionately hurting working families as electricity prices soar.
Why Are NJ Electricity Prices Up 20%?
If you noticed your utility bill jump last summer, you aren’t alone. Beginning in June 2025, electricity prices surged approximately 20% for many New Jersey customers. According to the PPI report, this is one of the highest increases in the nation.
The report identifies three main drivers for the surge:
- Supply Constraints: Rigid mandates have limited energy options before new infrastructure is ready.
- Surging Demand: The massive growth of data centers in New Jersey is putting unprecedented strain on the aging power grid.
- Political Tug-of-War: The report cites an “Activist Tax” coming from both sides—left-wing mandates that ignore affordability and the Trump administration’s suspension of offshore wind leases, which has stalled 11 gigawatts of planned clean energy.
The “Activist Tax” Defined
The PPI authors, Neel Brown and John Kemp, describe the Activist Tax as the hidden cost paid by consumers when policymakers prioritize “technology-specific” requirements over grid reliability and price stability.
“New Jersey has already picked the low-hanging fruit,” said Neel Brown, Managing Director at PPI. “What remains are the hardest and most expensive steps… when policymakers ignore affordability, those costs become an ‘Activist Tax’ paid by working families.”
NJ’s Reality Check: By the Numbers
Despite the push for renewables, the report reveals a massive gap between current policy and actual energy generation:
- 90%: The amount of New Jersey’s electricity still generated by natural gas and nuclear power.
- 10 Tons: NJ’s emissions per capita are already among the lowest in the U.S., but this is due to urban density, not new green tech.
- The 2050 Goal: Current mandates require a staggering 82% cut in building emissions and a 62% cut in electricity generation emissions, requiring a total overhaul of how residents heat their homes.
A Critical Turning Point for Gov.-Elect Mikie Sherrill
With Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill preparing to take office, the report serves as a “recalibration” warning. As energy affordability becomes a top political flashpoint, the PPI urges a shift toward outcome-based policies rather than rigid mandates.
The Solution? The report suggests New Jersey must:
- Prioritize clean, firm baseload power (like nuclear) to ensure the lights stay on.
- Treat affordability as a core metric of climate success, not an afterthought.
- Avoid “picking winners” in technology to prevent further price spikes.
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63 % of Ridgewood voted for this and 100% of those same voters will complain.
They know that there will be hardly any political consequences, as so many idiots will somehow believe this is Trump’s fault.
Meanwhile let’s connect absolutely everything in our lives to electricity even when there are other options.
Remember back in 2008, then candidate Barack Obama told the San Francisco Chronicle that “under my plan … electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.”
Democrats