5 Crucial Issues In NJ Governor Race: Here's Where Sherrill, Ciattarelli Stand

The race to replace outgoing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has been marked with controversy, accusations and outrage – not to mention a dizzying plethora of polls. But where do Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli stand on the issues that matter the most to New Jersey voters, such as taxes, schools and public safety?

Quinnipiac University released the results of its latest gubernatorial poll on Wednesday. Read More: New Poll Shows Latest Shift In NJ Governor’s Race

Among other questions, likely voters were asked to put aside their preference and think about which candidate would “do a better job” handling several important aspects of life in New Jersey.

Here’s what they said – and what the candidates have planned if they’re elected.

PROPERTY TAXES

It’s no big secret that property taxes are a perpetual gripe in New Jersey, which consistently ranks among the highest in the nation. The statewide average property tax bill topped $10,000 for the first time in 2024 – up from $9,803 the year before.

Quinnipiac University asked voters whether they think property taxes will go up, go down, or stay about the same if Ciattarelli or Sherrill is elected governor. About 44 percent said they think taxes will rise under Sherrill, and 37 percent said they would rise under Ciattarelli.

Here’s what the two candidates say about their plans to lower property taxes in New Jersey:

Ciattarelli – Ciattarelli says he will cap property taxes to a percentage of assessed home value so that working families and young people can afford to buy a home, while expanding the senior property tax freeze. He also says he will prohibit tax increases on home improvements.

Sherrill – Sherrill says she will “unlock the potential of shared services” for municipalities and school districts to lower municipal costs and property taxes. She also said she will take on one of the largest drivers of increased property taxes – rising health care costs that counties and municipalities must pay – through independent, third-party auditing of the State Health Benefits Program claims.

Taxes and home values have gone up steadily throughout New Jersey over the past two decades, regardless of what political party is in the governor's seat.

When former Republican Gov. Chris Christie and the state Legislature reached a historic deal for a 2 percent cap in 2011, the average property tax bill in New Jersey was at $7,759 for a home valued at $299,014. By the time Christie left office, the average property tax payment had risen by 13 percent. It has continued to go up since then; according to the latest tax table figures, the average property tax increased by 8.25 percent between 2022 and 2018, the first year Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy took office.

This week’s poll results from Quinnipiac University seem to show that many New Jersey residents don’t think either candidate will manage to lower property taxes. About 45 percent of voters said property taxes will stay about the same if Sherrill emerges with a win, and 40 percent said the same for Ciattarelli.

• See Related: Many Wealthier Towns Pay Lower Tax Rates In This NJ County

SCHOOLS

Who would handle the state’s schools better? According to the poll, 50 percent of voters said Sherrill, 41 percent said Ciattarelli, and 9 percent didn’t offer an opinion.

Here are some of the educational issues that each candidate say they are ready to tackle:

Sherrill – Sherrill says she will expand universal pre-K and kindergarten. She is advocating for school meals at no cost, increasing mental health care and tutoring, and supporting after-school programs. She also says she will expand job training programs and apprenticeships for high school graduates and young adults.

Ciattarelli – Ciattarelli says he will “reform” the state school funding formula and set a statewide standard on per-pupil spending. He says he plans to tell the State Department of Education to “get off the backs” of higher-performing districts and focus on underperforming districts. Ciattarelli also says he will expand charter schools and loosen restrictions on the inter-district public school choice program – bringing it more in line with Florida’s voucher program.

New Jersey taxpayers have complained about property taxes and schools for decades, and calls to cut educational spending have persisted longer than either Ciattarelli (63) or Sherrill (53) have been alive. However, merging school districts would require the state Legislature to act; it could not be ordered by the governor.

This hasn’t stopped the issue from being brought up in the gubernatorial debates – and sparking rumors.

• See Related: No Merger Of These NJ School Districts Proposed, Gov Candidate Says

TRANSPORTATION

Likely voters were asked who would handle NJ Transit better. According to the poll, 48 percent said Sherrill, 38 percent said Ciattarelli, and 10 percent didn’t offer an opinion.

Here’s what the candidates share about their plans for transportation in the Garden State:

Ciattarelli – Ciattarelli says he will fight New York’s “congestion pricing scheme,” which he claims punishes working families in New Jersey. He also says he plans to fold three different agencies – NJ Transit, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority – into a single governing body appointed by the governor.

Sherrill – Sherrill has advocated for investing in mass transit while “maintaining and upgrading” the state’s roads and rails. She says NJ Transit needs to have more of a “customer-focused mindset” and improve its communication with riders.

Recently, the two candidates found themselves answering questions about the Gateway Tunnel, a new train tunnel between North Jersey and New York City.

Construction on the new tunnel started on both sides of the Hudson River in November 2023 after years of stalled progress. It will serve NJ Transit and Amtrak trains.

The $16 billion cost is being split between the federal government and the project’s three partners: New York, New Jersey, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that it is freezing billions of dollars that have already been earmarked for the project, linking it to a DEI probe and the ongoing federal government shutdown. President Donald Trump commented Wednesday that the tunnel is “terminated” during a news conference.

Sherrill has blasted the White House for “attacking” the Gateway Tunnel, which she has advocated for in the past.

“When I first ran for Congress, I ran on getting the Gateway Tunnel Project funded — and we got it done,” Sherrill said. “Now, Trump is trying to turn the clock back on a critical project for New Jersey, rip away tens of thousands of jobs, and steal billions of dollars from our state.”

Ciattarelli has commented that the project “is not going to stop any time soon.” When asked if he’d consider suing the Trump administration to get some of the funding back, he replied: “I don’t need to sue the White House to get things done.”

• See Related: Sherrill, Ciattarelli Trade Shots Over Gateway As Trump Freezes Funding

PUBLIC SAFETY

Likely voters were asked who would do a better job of “keeping families safe.” According to the poll, voters were split: each candidate tied at 45 percent, with 10 percent not offering an opinion.

Here’s what Ciattarelli and Sherrill have to say about public safety and policing:

Sherrill – Sherrill has pledged to tackle gun violence by taking illegal firearms off the streets and preventing “violent criminals” from legally purchasing firearms. She says it is important to fund “smart policing strategies” and invest in evidence-based public services that are essential to combating violence and reducing crime, such as the state’s existing ARRIVE Together program. Sherrill is also supporting reentry programs for former prison inmates.

Ciattarelli – Ciattarelli said he plans to fix “bail reform loopholes” and toughen up the rules governing juvenile offenders. He is supporting the hiring of police officers who live in the towns they work in, opposes civilian review boards, wants to protect qualified immunity for officers, and wants to eliminate mandatory “use of force” reporting when a firearm is not discharged. Ciattarelli also says he will repeal the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive and ban municipalities from declaring themselves “sanctuary cities” – withholding state aid if they refuse to comply.

Crime dropped in New Jersey last year – and plunged nationwide, according to the latest statistics from the FBI.

New Jersey saw 20,684 violent crimes with a population of 9,500,851 residents in 2024 – a rate of 217.7 per 100,000 people. That’s down from 225.3 per 100,000 people in 2023. The state’s violent crime totals were well-below the national rate, which came to 359.1 per 100,000 people.

According to long-term trend data from the FBI, the Garden State has seen a big drop in violent crime over the past decades – especially from levels seen in the 1980s and 1990s.

• See Related: Crime Dropped In New Jersey Last Year, Latest FBI Data Shows

ECONOMY

Likely voters were asked who would do a better job of growing the state’s economy. According to the poll, 47 percent said Ciattarelli, 44 percent said Sherrill, and 8 percent didn’t offer an opinion.

Here are some financial plans that the two candidates have for the Garden State:

Ciattarelli – Ciattarelli says he will reduce state spending by 30 percent, keep future budget growth to no more than the rate of inflation, and aggressively use the line-item veto pen to “eliminate and prevent waste.” He says he will reduce the state’s Corporation Business Tax by one percent per year for five years, taking it from among the highest in the nation to one that is “competitive nationally.”

Sherrill – Sherrill says she will “crack down on ultra-wealthy and corporate tax cheats” and pass the money on to working families. She is advocating for better child care to help working parents, and wants to cut down on the amount of “bureaucracy” that people face while trying to launch small businesses. Sherrill is also planning to launch an online “Report Card” where New Jerseyans can track state contracts and grants to improve financial transparency for taxpayers.

In August, state lawmakers cleared the way for $500 million in tax breaks in an attempt to create “good-paying” jobs and spark growth in New Jersey’s manufacturing industry.

The bipartisan bill – which picked up support from Democratic and Republican lawmakers – authorizes a new, $500 million tax credit program that incentivizes manufacturing investment and job creation.

• See Related: $500M In Tax Breaks Approved For New Jersey’s Manufacturing Industry

Other business sectors in the state have seen setbacks, however, including New Jersey’s pharmaceutical industry – which stands to lose nearly 2,200 jobs in the near future.

• See Related: NJ Pharmaceutical Companies To Lay Off Thousands

ELECTION UPDATES

The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Early in-person voting will take place from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee, and Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, were the last ones standing after a competitive primary election on June 10. Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, is term-limited and can’t run again this year.

Sherrill is currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 11th district. She recently chose pastor and university president Dale Caldwell as her lieutenant governor nominee. Read More: Sherrill Picks Caldwell As Running Mate For 2025 Election

Ciattarelli is a former state assemblyman from New Jersey. He has picked Morris County Sheriff James Gannon as his lieutenant governor nominee. Read More: Ciattarelli Taps County Sheriff As Running Mate In 2025 Election

Third-party and independent candidates running in the 2025 election include Vic Kaplan (Libertarian Party) and Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party). Candidates running write-in campaigns include Lily Benavides (Green Party) and Darrell Armstrong (independent).

According to state election data, there were 2.52 million registered Democrats, 1.67 million registered Republicans, and 2.34 million unaffiliated voters in New Jersey as of Oct. 1.

• See Related: Sherrill, Ciattarelli Match Up For First Debate In NJ Governor Race
• See Related: 5 Takeaways From Final NJ Gov Debate: ‘Shame On You,’ Candidates Rage

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