State Senator Nick Sacco (D-32), also the North Bergen mayor, is not a fan of the initial legislative redistricting proposals, stating they are unacceptable and would create disruption countywide.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The proposed legislative maps would both create unnecessary disruption within Hudson County and are not acceptable in their current forms,” he said in a statement in response to an inquiry from HCV.
“While the population growth in the area makes a certain amount of change inevitable, the apportionment commission should take continuity of representation into account and do what it can to prevent these kinds of disruptions which can have negative consequences for residents.”
The maps were released by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission, the bi-partisan 11-member governing body who will vote on the changes, yesterday.
The Turnpike map, the Democratic plan, and the Parkway map, drawn by Republicans, both would have drastic changes in store for Hudson County.
While Jersey City currently runs through the 31st and 33rd Legislative Districts, the Democratic plan would have the state’s second largest city also be included in the 32nd.
Mayor Steven Fulop panned this idea on Twitter yesterday, asserting it would hurt immigrant communities.
“Dividing #JerseyCity into 3 legislative districts as proposed by the dem map would do a disservice to residents of the single most diverse city in NJ + hurt our large immigrant communities. This makes little sense and should be changed,” he wrote.
Under both proposals, the Township of Weehawken would move from the 33rd to the 32nd, with Hoboken heading to the 32nd as well under the Republican plan.
This action would likely redistrict Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro out of her post, placing her in the same district as Assemblyman Pedro Mejia and Assemblywoman Angelica Jimenez (both D-32).
Additionally, Downtown Jersey City, currently in the 33rd, would potentially head to the 31st, while the 32nd would become a Hudson County-only district, with Edgewater and Fairview moving to the 36th Legislative District in each of the two maps.
The Republican map would also move Kearny to the 33rd, with East Newark and Harrison heading to the Essex County-heavy 29th Legislative District. Kearny and Harrison would stay put in the 32nd, with Harrison still becoming part of the 29th in the Democratic map.
However, the maps are far from final, with the commission holding their first public hearing on Zoom tomorrow at 6 p.m. Public speakers had to pre-register by 3 p.m. today, almost certainly contributing to their website timing out regularly this afternoon.
On the Democratic side, New Jersey State Democratic Committee Chair LeRoy Jones is heading up the committee, along with West New York Commissioner Cosmo Cirillo, Pinelands Commission Chair Laura Matos, and former Fairview Councilwoman Diane Testa.
As GOP representation, Mercury Senior Vice President Al Barlas is the Republican delegation chair, joined by state Senator Jon Bramnick (R-21), former Salem County GOP Chair Linda DuBois, Congressional candidate Thomas Kean, Jr., and Lavery, Selvaggi, Abromitis, and Cohen Founding partner Michael Lavery.
Former Superior Court Judge Philip S. Carchman is the court-appointed tiebreaker who serves as the 11th member of the commission.
An interactive map of the proposals can be viewed here.
where we lose representation in the Assembly. WTF is up with that? Hoboken residents pay among the highest taxes in Hudson County, but lose our Assembly person?
NO taxation WITHOUT representation.
Union City and North Bergen been getting it all for last 25 years. Just look at WNY a Dirt Hole in neglect. Most street lights are old put together with tape. Hoboken pays and gets nothing promised.. JC your Mayors get pennies on the Dollar. JC and Hoboken Mayors get $ in the pocket to play nice…. SHAME!
Stack and Sacco get and steal for their own towns as Senators for NJ$. Time for a wake up fools.