Our municipalities pay JCP&L for the electrical energy consumed in lighting our public buildings and for the street lights, which are considered to be an element of public safety that cannot be done away with.
The business manager of my community has not advised me yet, although I have requested same, what we, the taxpayers of Hazlet Township, are paying JCP&L for our electrical energy consumption. I have raised the question with the Township Board at least three times at public meetings in the last year and a half as to why it has not started to convert our public building lighting systems over to LED.
I also queried them as to why it is not demanding that JCP&L start to convert out street lights over to self-dimming LED. One member of the Township Board stated that back a ways, two years ago or so, that JCP&L refused to entertain discussions with them on this issue.
This board member also stated that such an effort would pay for itself in three to four years of reduced electrical energy costs. This reduction would, of course, also apply to our public building electrical costs.
It’s time we taxpayers, always complaining about our property taxes, demand that public officials address this issue squarely and that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities force all of the New Jersey utility companies to start converting to LED street lighting.
Charles E. Hoffman Jr.
Hazlet