Top priorities as governor

The governor-elect said as soon as she is sworn into office, she will freeze utility costs, but she did not offer any specifics.

“We’ve already had some conversations, I’ve already even during the campaign had some conversations with some of our utility companies, as well as working with some policy experts on exactly what money is coming in through the [Board of Public Utilities], and how it might be used to do that,” she said.

Sherrill said she will also work on a kids online safety agenda, join the lawsuit to push back on tariffs enacted by the Trump administration and begin work on the next state budget.

There are other front-burner issues she said she is planning to pursue.

“Expanding the first time home-buyers credits, so people can get their food in the door, taking on landlords who are colluding to drive up rental prices,” she said.  “Taking on [pharmacy benefit managers], those are the middlemen in drug pricing to drive down drug costs.”

She said she will work to fix the state health benefits plan, improve third-grade reading scores across New Jersey’s schools and lower bloated school administration costs.

Working with Trump

Sherrill, who attacked President Donald Trump’s policies during the campaign, suggested she will put her differences aside and work with him to serve her constituents.

“We haven’t spoken yet, but certainly I’m going to be working very hard to get resources, federal resources back into New Jersey, to discuss and take on the Gateway Tunnel right away because that’s such a key issue and such an economic driver here,” Sherrill said.

On Oct. 16, Trump announced he canceled plans to build a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River, but U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the project is still under review.