Bayonne mayoral candidates spar over data center vote

The Bayonne City Council in Hudson County, New Jersey, recently passed a unanimous resolution expressing opposition to data center developments within its municipal boundaries. Councilman Loyad Booker, a mayoral candidate, championed this move, emphasizing the council's duty to prioritize the community's well-being. However, another mayoral contender, former Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, criticized Booker's action as largely symbolic and ineffective. She highlighted that a planning board vote in December had already made provisions that could allow a data center project on New Hook Road to advance, despite the council's subsequent resolution. Ashe-Nadrowski accused incumbent politicians of favoring corporate and developer interests over those of the Bayonne residents. This controversy in Bayonne is part of a growing trend of public opposition to data center proliferation across New Jersey, influencing local political landscapes from New Brunswick to Vineland. Both Booker and Ashe-Nadrowski are actively campaigning for the mayorship in the upcoming non-partisan municipal election.