Hudson County is in disarray after the newly approved legislative maps put state Senators Brian Stack and Nick Sacco in the same district, giving North Hudson one senate seat and two for Jersey City.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The New Jersey Apportionment Commission voted 9-2 on the legislative redistricting proposal, with Republican congressional candidate Tom Kean, Jr. and West New York Commissioner Cosmo Cirillo voting no.
Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise and Hudson County Democratic Organization Chair Amy DeGise both asked for the vote to be delayed, to no avail.
The new map has relatively modest changes in the 31st Legislative District, with Kearny moving from the 32nd Legislative District to join Bayonne and the south side of Jersey City.
Conversely, the changes in store for the north are catastrophic.
The commission ended up with a map that saw the 33rd Legislative District, represented by Stack, absorb much of LD-32, represented by Sacco, consisting of Union City, North Bergen, Weehawken, West New York, Guttenberg, and Secaucus.
Sacco’s running mates, Assemblywoman Angelica Jimenez and Pedro Mejia, are now also being moved to LD-33.
LD-32 will now include Jersey City Wards C, D, and E, along with Hoboken. Assemblyman Raj Mukherji and Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro, both of Stack’s running mates, fall in those boundaries and Mukherji is the front runner to became state senator.
He could not be immediately reached for comment.
The New Jersey Globe first reported yesterday on a legislative map deal that placed Sacco and Stack in the same district.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who penned a letter last week stating that dividing the city into three legislative districts would violate the state constitution (as the Democratic Turnpike draft did), expressed disappointment with the final outcome.
“I worked in conjunction with North Bergen to draft my letter that spelled out our concerns on the initial Hudson County map,” he told HCV.
“It’s really unfortunate and disappointing that the committee then took the opportunity to put two of NJ’s best state senators in the same district as there were many other options that would not have created a potential primary.”
In a phone interview, Stack, also the Union City mayor, said a much better outcome could’ve been reached if Jersey City was split three ways, as it was when he became a state senator in 2000.
“Seeing Senator Sacco give up Edgewater and Fairview and not be able to move into Jersey City is why we’re in this horrible position right now,” Stack stated.
“I think there were a few people working undercover to ensure this wasn’t split into three and now it’s backfired and put two incumbents into the same district. I never in a million years thought it would come to this.”
He also said that they wouldn’t be in this predicament if the county got on the same page to divide Jersey City across their three districts and said he’d be seeking his senate seat again next year.
“I’m definitely going to seek re-election, it would be nice if we all work together in some way and seek common ground,” added Stack.
A spokesman for Sacco, also the North Bergen mayor and first elected to the state senate in 1994, did immediately return inquiries asking what his plans are for next year.
Other changes include East Newark and Harrison heading to the Essex County-heavy 29th Legislative District, which Hudson leadership had also hoped to avoid.
Turkeys to the left, turkeys to the right. No matter what, we’re looking at free turkeys.
Its a good thing when you have 1 less double dipper.
Time to retire Sacco – youre 75 and been in this grift since `91. Congrats you won the game. Walk into the sunset. Brian, you shouldnt be far behind your going on 22 years as mayor, 14 as a double diper.
This is good as these cons accumulate uncheked power over time and their cronies and hangers-on never even bat an eyelash.
Good riddance