Common Sense Solar Savings for Roselle Park, NJ
These candidates support solarKhanjan PatelMayor · RepublicanJorge RamirezCouncil, at-large · RepublicanJorge E. CasalinsCouncil, 1st Ward · Democrat3 of 6 candidates have answered. See the responses →As a resident of Roselle Park, I’m urging candidates for mayor and borough council to pledge to pursue solar on borough properties.
Roselle Park will benefit from adding solar to borough properties. It’s the right financial choice to hedge against rising electric rates, and the right thing to do as climate causes worsening damage in New Jersey and beyond.
Escalating Electric Costs Can Be Mitigated with Solar
Our electricity spending rose 32% from 2021 to 2025, according to our own budgets (, ).
- Our electricity spending (left scale)
- PSE&G commercial rate, ¢/kWh (right scale)
- PSE&G residential rate, ¢/kWh (right scale)
commercial 6.4¢ · residential 17.5¢’21
commercial 7.3¢ · residential 17.7¢’22
commercial 9.3¢ · residential 18.4¢’23
commercial 9.8¢ · residential 18.9¢’24
commercial 18.5¢ · residential 23.2¢’25
commercial 19.1¢ · residential 25.0¢’26*
*2026 is the amount budgeted, not spent. Rates are each year’s average, weighted by days in effect; 2026 is year to date. The commercial rate excludes PSE&G’s separate demand charge.
Show as a table
| Year | Paid or charged | Commercial ¢/kWh | Residential ¢/kWh | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $94,215 | 6.4¢ | 17.5¢ | |
| 2022 | $90,227 | 7.3¢ | 17.7¢ | |
| 2023 | $100,157 | 9.3¢ | 18.4¢ | |
| 2024 | $113,549 | 9.8¢ | 18.9¢ | |
| 2025 | $124,730 | 18.5¢ | 23.2¢ | |
| 2026 | $142,000 (budgeted) | 19.1¢ | 25.0¢ |
Rates:
PSE&G’s standard commercial energy rate nearly doubled in January 2025, according to its filed tariffs. That year we had to raise our electricity budget from $115,000 to $140,000 partway through. For 2026 we have set aside $142,000, 14% more than we spent in 2025.
Solar on our roofs and parking lots offsets this line. It would not touch street lighting, a separate and larger line that PSE&G bills without a meter.
Financial Incentives
- State: for public rooftop and canopy systems under 1 megawatt.
- Federal: a cash credit, if the system isrunning by December 31, 2027.
Both go to whoever owns the panels. There are two ways to pay nothing up front:
- Option 1, a developer owns the panels: they collect the incentives and sell us the power for less than PSE&G charges.
- Option 2, we own the panels: we collect the incentives and pay for the panels out of the savings, through New Jersey’s Energy Savings Improvement Program.
It’s the Right Thing to Do
New Jersey has warmed about 4°F since 1900, twice the global average, according to the state climatologist’s office. Ida’s flooding killed 30 people in the state in 2021, four of them next door in Elizabeth.
Ask Our Candidates
Election day is November 3, 2026.
I sent all six candidates five questions and asked for replies by October 5. Replies appear exactly as the candidates sent them.
Read the five questions
- Will you have every roof and parking lot we own assessed for solar by February 28, 2027?
- Will you pursue at least 100 kilowatts of solar, on one or more sites, that can be in service by December 31, 2027, so we can collect the federal clean electricity investment credit?
- Will you favor financing that costs taxpayers nothing up front, such as a power purchase agreement or New Jersey’s Energy Savings Improvement Program?
- Will you publish our annual electricity use and spending?
- In a sentence or two, what would you do to protect us from rising energy costs and from storms like Sandy, Irene, and Ida?
The Race for Mayor
- Joseph Signorello Jr.Democrat, incumbent
No reply yet
- Khanjan PatelRepublican
Replied: yes to questions 1 to 4
Read the full reply
Will you have every roof and parking lot we own assessed for solar by February 28, 2027?
Yes. I support a comprehensive assessment of all municipal roofs and parking lots to determine where solar installations would be practical and financially beneficial.
Will you pursue at least 100 kilowatts of solar, on one or more sites, that can be in service by December 31, 2027, so we can collect the federal clean electricity investment credit?
Yes, provided the projects are technically feasible and financially responsible for Roselle Park. I would support pursuing available state and federal incentives to reduce the Borough’s energy costs without creating an unnecessary burden for taxpayers.
Will you favor financing that costs taxpayers nothing up front, such as a power purchase agreement or New Jersey’s Energy Savings Improvement Program?
Yes. If a financing structure allows Roselle Park to move forward without an upfront cost to taxpayers and provides long-term savings, I would support evaluating and pursuing that option.
Will you publish our annual electricity use and spending?
Yes. Residents should have access to clear information about how much the Borough spends on electricity and how those costs change from year to year.
In a sentence or two, what would you do to protect us from rising energy costs and from storms like Sandy, Irene, and Ida?
As Mayor, I would pursue practical energy-efficiency and renewable-energy projects that can reduce municipal operating costs without placing an unnecessary burden on taxpayers. I would also support investments in drainage, infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and storm resiliency. These decisions should be based on reliable financial and technical information and should provide measurable long-term value for Roselle Park residents.
Roselle Park should remain open to ideas and technologies that can reduce costs and strengthen our community. At the same time, every project should be carefully evaluated to ensure it is practical, financially sound, and in the best interest of taxpayers.
Borough Council
At-Large
- Adolfo DicosmoDemocrat
No reply yet
- Jorge RamirezRepublican
Replied: yes to questions 1 to 4
Read the full reply
I’m a huge proponent of solar and have been for about 15 years. In 2016 I had a solar system installed on my house that I now own. The system was put on with $0 out of pocket and was paid off by the solar credits that my system generated. At the time PSEG offered this program and guaranteed an SREC price of $250 per SREC. The way it worked financially was that the solar loan program paid for 2/3 of the cost and I had to come up with the remaining 1/3. The federal govt had a program where they reimbursed you the 1/3 of the cost with a full credit when you filed your taxes. Furthermore a lender lent me the 1/3 cost with a loan that was 0% interest for 12 months. So I used their money to pay my portion and then come tax time I paid off the loan with the crest from the govt.
So to answer your 1st question yes I would most definitely analyze every roof and parking lot space we have to hopefully put solar panels on it. Most people don’t realize that an added benefit of having solar panels is that the panels themselves also extend the life of whatever surface they’re covering.
2) Yes I will pursue at least 100 kilowatts of power. I would pursue as much as possible with 100kw being the minimum
3) Yes I would favor and proactively look into any program we as a town can take advantage of to offset the cost of solar. Just as I did with my own house.
4) I will most definitely publish our annual electricity use and spending for everyone to see along with every other expenditure the borough makes. The expenditures the borough makes is using the people’s money. I believe the people not only have a right to see where their money is being spent but also have a right to have their input heard. I personally believe our website needs to be completely redone to make it easier for residents to navigate and easier to find any information on what the mayor and council have decided without having the need to OPRA everything.
5) I believe the Borough should perform a full financial audit and start cutting out wasteful spending. I believe we should start looking at other providers and have the power of competition lower our costs. Once we have done that we can start putting money away and start actually lowering our property taxes. I completely believe we can lower property taxes by $500-$1000 in one year by doing that as well as having these apartment buildings that are making millions contribute more to the borough, either by helping the schools more or by helping our essential services like our police and volunteer fire department.
1st Ward
- Jorge E. CasalinsDemocrat
Replied: yes to questions 1 to 4
Read the full reply
Will you have every roof and parking lot we own assessed for solar by February 28, 2027?
Yes
Will you pursue at least 100 kilowatts of solar, on one or more sites, that can be in service by December 31, 2027, so we can collect the federal clean electricity investment credit?
Yes
Will you favor financing that costs taxpayers nothing up front, such as a power purchase agreement or New Jersey’s Energy Savings Improvement Program?
Yes
Will you publish our annual electricity use and spending?
Yes
In a sentence or two, what would you do to protect us from rising energy costs and from storms like Sandy, Irene, and Ida?
I have been following Governor Sherrill’s policies and having conversations with Commissioners from the NJ Board of Public Utilities regarding moves to help alleviate the rising energy costs. Unfortunately these are state-controlled matters and the best we can do at the local level is support state efforts and push along. Regarding storms - I believe the most important step we can take is preparedness. We have been working hard with DPW to clear and maintain basins, storm water collection areas and other infrastructure that is designed to keep water flowing and either stop or alleviate flooding. With the recent storms we have been seeing success as areas around us flooded but through our efforts the flooding has been either prevented or greatly decreased. I have also been in communication with our Police Chief who is the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Borough regarding a local weather-monitor system that we would subscribe to as a shared service with the Board of Education to give us much more localized data and access to professionals when planning for weather events. I hope to push this through before the end of the year, it would only cost the Borough $2,500/year.
- Mariann BrennerRepublican
No reply yet