Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy Talks JCP&L, Data Centers and Shared Services at Berkeley Heights Town Hall

State Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy fielded more than an hour of questions from Berkeley Heights and Union County residents Tuesday night in the Highlander Room at the Municipal Building. The town hall event provided constituent engagement opportunity and direct dialogue on policy issues affecting the district.

Legislator Background and Experience

Macurdy, a Democrat representing the 21st Legislative District, took office in January after his first run for public office. He is a former Hudson County prosecutor and federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark, and worked in the state Attorney General's office where he created Arrive Together, a co-responder program pairing police officers with mental health professionals on crisis calls that has since expanded statewide. Professional background demonstrates prosecutorial and policy development experience.

Constituent Services and Staff Support

Macurdy's office, located in Summit near the Summit Diner, fields constituent casework year-round. He credited a staff member with recovering tens of thousands of dollars for constituents navigating disability, Medicaid and unemployment claims. Constituent services represent ongoing legislative office function supporting residents accessing benefits and government services.

JCP&L Rate Increase and Storm Response

A Berkeley Heights resident told Macurdy that JCP&L filed for a 9 percent rate increase just 10 days after widespread outages following the July 4 storms. The timing raised constituent concerns about utility rate increases following service disruptions.

Macurdy said he wanted to review the issue further before taking a formal position. He noted caution in making policy commitments pending additional information and analysis.

He is sponsoring a bill that would let municipalities use New Jersey's infrastructure bank to secure lower-cost financing for burying power lines underground in high-risk areas. The legislation provides financing mechanism for utility infrastructure hardening and storm resilience.

Union County Life covers Berkeley Heights government, policy, and local news across all 21 Union County municipalities.

Data Center Tax Incentives and Legislation

Macurdy noted that Berkeley Heights is among roughly three dozen New Jersey municipalities that have banned data centers locally. The bans reflect municipal concerns about data center impacts and development.

He is sponsoring legislation on the governor's desk that would cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in state tax breaks for data centers. Tax break elimination addresses state fiscal impact and developer incentives.

A companion measure signed into law requires large data centers to help cover the added costs they place on the electric grid. Grid cost allocation reflects infrastructure burden data centers impose on utility systems.

Shared Services and Municipal Cooperation

On shared services, Macurdy pointed to the shared 911 dispatch system serving Berkeley Heights, New Providence and Summit as a working local example. Berkeley Heights joined the Union County Regional Communications Center in 2019, and New Providence joined in December 2023. The multi-municipal dispatch cooperation demonstrates shared services implementation.

He said full municipal mergers face steep political hurdles but smaller steps like shared health departments or jointly negotiated contracts could build momentum over time. Incremental shared services provide political feasibility compared to full municipal consolidation.

Senior Housing and Rent Stabilization

A Berkeley Heights senior said her rent in a 55-and-over community rose from $3,100 to $4,230 for a two-bedroom unit over four years. The rent increase raised constituent concerns about housing affordability for seniors.

She asked whether a decades-old state exemption shielding certain multifamily housing from rent stabilization requirements could be revisited. The exemption exempts certain housing types from statewide rent stabilization protections.

Macurdy said he was not familiar with the specific exemption but committed to looking into it. His response demonstrated openness to investigating constituent concerns and potential legislative remedy.

Municipal Bonds and Voter Approval

One resident raised concerns about how Berkeley Heights financed its municipal building through New Jersey's Local Housing and Redevelopment Law without voter approval. The financing mechanism and voter participation question raised transparency and accountability concerns.

The resident asked Macurdy to support legislation requiring future municipal bonds to require voter sign-off. The proposal would expand democratic participation in municipal bond financing decisions.

Macurdy said he was not familiar with the borough's specific history but said he supports greater budget transparency and accountability. His commitment to transparency principles indicated receptiveness to voter approval requirements.

Legislative Response and Constituent Engagement

The town hall format enabled direct dialogue between legislator and constituents on multiple policy issues. Constituent questions and legislator responses demonstrated representative engagement and policy discussion.

For Berkeley Heights and Union County Residents

Berkeley Heights and Union County residents can contact Assemblyman Macurdy's office in Summit for constituent services, policy questions, and legislative advocacy. Office location near Summit Diner provides accessible constituent service point.

Residents can engage with representatives on policy issues including utility regulation, data centers, housing, and municipal governance through town halls and constituent contact.

Find more Berkeley Heights government, policy, and local news on Union County Life.

Photo Credit: Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy Facebook

FAQ

Q: Who is Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy?
A: Macurdy is a Democrat representing the 21st Legislative District who took office in January 2026. He is a former Hudson County and federal prosecutor who created the Arrive Together co-responder program.

Q: What town hall did Macurdy hold?
A: Macurdy held a town hall in Berkeley Heights' Highlander Room at the Municipal Building where he answered constituent questions for more than an hour.

Q: What did residents ask about JCP&L?
A: A resident asked about JCP&L filing for a 9% rate increase just 10 days after widespread July 4 storm outages. Macurdy said he would review the issue before taking a formal position.

Q: Is Macurdy addressing data center issues?
A: Yes. He is sponsoring legislation to cancel hundreds of millions in state tax breaks for data centers. A companion measure signed into law requires data centers to help cover grid costs they impose.

Q: What about underground power lines?
A: Macurdy is sponsoring a bill allowing municipalities to use New Jersey's infrastructure bank to finance underground power line installation in high-risk areas for storm resilience.

Q: Does Macurdy support shared services?
A: Yes. He pointed to Berkeley Heights' shared 911 dispatch system with New Providence and Summit as a working example and supports incremental shared services over full municipal mergers.

Q: What did residents ask about senior housing?
A: A senior asked about rent increases in a 55+ community and whether a state exemption from rent stabilization could be revisited. Macurdy committed to looking into the issue.

Q: What is Macurdy's stance on municipal bonds?
A: A resident asked him to support voter approval requirements for municipal bonds. Macurdy said he supports greater budget transparency and accountability.