Editing Union City, New Jersey (section)

==Government==
===Local government===
[[File:11.22.10UnionCityCityHallByLuigiNovi.jpg|thumb|City Hall]]
Union City's City Hall is located at 3715 Palisade Avenue. The oldest municipal building in North Hudson, it was built in the 1890s as the town hall for Union Hill. Prior to the 1914 opening of Union Hill High School, classes were also held in the building. After the 1925 consolidation of West Hoboken and Union Hill into Union City, the town hall for the former was converted into the new fire headquarters for the city. It also served as the second police precinct for many years.<ref>Anlian, Haig (February 28, 1984). "Union City boasts oldest municipal site", ''The Jersey Journal''.</ref>

The governing body is comprised of a five-member Board of Commissioners, as per the city's [[Walsh Act (New Jersey)|Walsh Act]] form of government, which has been in place since 1930. The members of the commission are elected [[at-large]] on a non-partisan basis in the May municipal election. At a reorganization meeting held after the election, each commissioner is assigned a department to oversee. The mayor of Union City also serves as a commissioner.<ref name=DataBook>''2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], p. 144.</ref><ref>[http://www.njstatelib.org/slic_files/imported/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/MFMG/MFMGCH4.PDF "The Commission Form of Municipal Government"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605155532/http://www.njstatelib.org/slic_files/imported/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/MFMG/MFMGCH4.PDF |date=2015-06-05 }}, p. 53. Accessed June 3, 2015.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=8 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604040836/https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=8 |date=June 4, 2023 }}, p. 8. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The city is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601184216/https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf |date=June 1, 2023 }}, [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

[[File:9.11.07BrianPStackByLuigiNovi23.2.jpg|upright|left|thumb|Mayor [[Brian P. Stack]] also serves as state senator.]]
{{As of|2024}}, the [[mayor]] of Union City is [[Brian P. Stack]],<ref name=Mayor>[http://www.ucnj.com/Officials/Bio/mayor-brian-p-stack Mayor Brian P. Stack], Union City, New Jersey. Accessed November 28, 2022.</ref> who became mayor in 2000 after a [[recall election]] forced the resignation of then-mayor [[Rudy Garcia (New Jersey politician)|Raúl "Rudy" Garcia]].<ref>Strunsky, Steve. [https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/29/nyregion/politics-and-government-for-two-young-mayors-it-was-a-difficult-week.html "Politics And Government; For Two Young Mayors, It Was A Difficult Week"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', October 29, 2000. Accessed July 7, 2016. "In Union City, a political minefield in the heart of Hudson County, Mayor Rudy Garcia handed in his resignation on Tuesday afternoon, and was replaced the same evening by three of his former allies on the city Board of Commissioners.... Mr. Garcia's antagonist was a savvy grass-roots politician named Brian Stack, who saw in the city's budget deficit the chance to unseat Mr. Garcia and install himself -- with help from Representative Robert Menendez, whom Mr. Garcia had clashed with in recent years."</ref> The five members of the Union City Board of Commissioners serve in both administrative and legislative capacities, with each commissioner acting as the director of one of the five major departments of the city, administering the daily operations of a designated department. The five commissioners and their departmental assignments are 
Mayor Brian P. Stack ([[Commissioner of Public Safety]]), 
[[Lucio P. Fernandez]] ([[Commissioner of Public Affairs]]),
Wendy A. Grullon ([[Commissioner of Public Works]]),
Maryury A. Martinetti ([[Commissioner of Revenue and Finance]]) and 
Celin J. Valdivia ([[Commissioner of Parks and Public Property]]), all serving concurrent terms ending on May 15, 2026.<ref>[http://www.ucnj.com/directory Directory], Union City, New Jersey. Accessed May 12, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ucnj.com/_Content/pdf/minutes/2022-05-17-Commissioners-Minutes.pdf#page=17 Reorganization Meeting Transcript May 17, 2022], City of Union City. Accessed November 28, 2022. "The Department of Public Safety, Brian P. Stack; Department of Public Affairs, Commissioner Lucio Fernandez; Department of Public Works, Commissioner Wendy Grullon; Department of Parks and Public Property, Commissioner Celin Valdivia; Department of Revenue and Finance, Commissioner Maryury Martinetti."</ref><ref>[https://www.ucnj.com/_Content/pdf/budgets/2023-UC-adopted-Budget.pdf#page=17 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Union City, New Jersey. Accessed May 4, 2022.</ref><ref name=HudsonDirectory>[https://www.hudsoncountyclerk.org/elected-officials/ Elected Officials], [[Hudson County, New Jersey]] Clerk. Accessed May 12, 2024.</ref><ref name=Hudson2022Municipal>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Hudson/112983/web.285569/#/summary 2022 Municipal Election May 10, 2022 Official Results], [[Hudson County, New Jersey]], updated June 1, 2022. Accessed November 28, 2022.</ref>

The budget adopted by the city in 2021 was $151 million, which remained balanced during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name=2021YearReview>{{cite web|title=2021: The year in review |newspaper=[[The Hudson Reporter]]|date=January 7, 2022 |url=https://hudsonreporter.com/2022/01/07/2021-the-year-in-review/|accessdate=January 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107154658/https://hudsonreporter.com/2022/01/07/2021-the-year-in-review/|archive-date=January 7, 2022}}</ref>

===Federal, state, and county representation===
Union City is located in the 8th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf Plan Components Report], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 33rd state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>[https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf ''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''], New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#33 Districts by Number for 2011–2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 08}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 33}}

{{NJ Hudson County Commissioners}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 28,503 registered voters in Union City, of which 18,589 (65.2%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 1,839 (6.5%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 8,062 (28.3%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 13 voters registered to other parties.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-hudson-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Hudson], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 82.1% of the vote (14,569 cast), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 17.2% (3,050 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (134 votes), among the 17,893 ballots cast by the city's 30,841 registered voters (140 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 58.0%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-hudson.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Hudson County |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-hudson.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Hudson County|date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Democrat Barack Obama received 74.6% of the vote (13,657 cast), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 23.9% (4,366 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (150 votes), among the 18,305 ballots cast by the city's 32,030 registered voters, for a turnout of 57.1%.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-hudson.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Hudson County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 64.8% of the vote here (10,894 ballots cast), outpolling Republican [[George W. Bush]] with 32.0% (5,375 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (90 votes), among the 16,811 ballots cast by the city's 27,727 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 60.6.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_hudson_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Hudson County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential Elections Results
!Year
![[Republican Party (New Jersey)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (New Jersey)|Democratic]]
![[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2024 United States presidential election in New Jersey|2024]]<ref name="2024Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2024/2024-official-general-results-president-hudson.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 5, 2024 - Hudson County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2024}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|40.3% ''7,881''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.3%'''  ''11,202''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.7% ''417''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2020|2020]]<ref name="2020Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-hudson.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 3, 2020 - Hudson County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2020}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|26.9% ''5,556''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''70.2%'''  ''14,474''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.9% ''172''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016]]<ref name="2016Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2016/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-hudson.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 8, 2016 - Hudson County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|18.5% ''3,322''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''78.5%''' ''14,127''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.6% ''463''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012]]<ref name=2012Election>{{Cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-hudson.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Hudson County |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|17.2% ''3,050''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''82.1%''' ''14,569''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.8% ''134''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008]]'''<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-hudson.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Hudson County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 24, 2024.</ref>
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|23.9%  ''4,366''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''74.6%''' ''13,657'' 
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.8% ''150''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004]]'''<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_hudson_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Hudson County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520184200/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_hudson_co_2004.pdf |date=May 20, 2013 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref>
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|32.0% ''5,375''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''64.8%'''   ''10,894''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.3% ''90''
|-
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 58.1% of the vote (6,653 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 40.6% (4,651 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (148 votes), among the 12,583 ballots cast by the city's 31,515 registered voters (1,131 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.9%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-hudson.pdf |title=Governor - Hudson County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-hudson.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Hudson County|date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] received 76.8% of the vote here (8,611 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 20.2% (2,265 votes), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 1.4% (152 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (89 votes), among the 11,218 ballots cast by the city's 27,373 registered voters, yielding a 41.0% turnout.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-hudson.pdf 2009 Governor: Hudson County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822214207/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-hudson.pdf |date=August 22, 2012}}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref>

===Public safety===
The Union City Police Department consists of over 200 officers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://unioncitypd.org/|publisher=Union City Police Department|author=Luster, Nichelle|title=Welcome to the Union City Police Department!|access-date=November 16, 2021|archive-date=November 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115224700/https://unioncitypd.org/}}</ref> Union City's Chief of Police is Nichelle Luster, the city's first female Police Chief, who replaced former Chief Richard Molinari. Luster had been a captain since 2013, when she became the first female to attain that position.<ref>Conte, Michaelangelo. [https://www.nj.com/hudson/2018/11/union_city_may_see_hudson_countys_first_female_pol.html "Female captain named acting chief of police in Union City"], ''[[The Hudson Reporter]]'', November 21, 2018, updated January 21, 2019. Accessed November 14, 2019. "Hudson County is one step closer to having its first female police chief. Union City police Capt. Nichelle Luster has been named acting chief of the department following the retirement of Chief Richard Molinari, who held the post since 2013 and named Luster as his temporary replacement."</ref>

Until 1999, the Union City Fire Department consisted of 100 firefighters, and four fire stations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nj1015.com/union-city-fire-department-remembered-with-t-shirts/|title=UNION CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT REMEMBERED WITH T-SHIRTS|publisher=[[New Jersey 101.5]]|author=Trevelise, Steve|date=January 19, 2021|access-date=November 16, 2021|archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120031903/https://nj1015.com/union-city-fire-department-remembered-with-t-shirts/}}</ref> In January 1999<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/cresskill/police-fire/north-hudson-regional-fire-and-rescue-has-first-chief-from-north-bergen/628736/|publisher=[[The Daily Voice (American hyperlocal news)|The Daily Voice]]|title=North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue has first chief from North Bergen|author=DeMarco, Jerry|date=March 28, 2012|access-date=November 16, 2021|archive-date=November 16, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211116171741/https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/cresskill/police-fire/north-hudson-regional-fire-and-rescue-has-first-chief-from-north-bergen/628736/}}</ref> Union City and four other cities in [[North Hudson, New Jersey|North Hudson]] merged their fire departments into [[North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue]]. The other municipalities include [[Guttenberg, New Jersey|Guttenberg]], [[North Bergen, New Jersey|North Bergen]], [[Weehawken, New Jersey|Weehawken]] and [[West New York, New Jersey|West New York]].<ref>[http://northhudsonfire.com/about-north-hudson-regional-fire-rescue/ About], [[North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue]]. Accessed August 28, 2017. "In 1999, North Bergen, Union City, West New York, Weehawken and Guttenberg combined their fire departments into an award-winning and nationally recognized fire-protection unit called North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue."</ref> Three of the NHRFR's fire stations are located in Union City:<ref name=NHRFRLocations>{{cite web|url=https://www.northhudsonfire.org/locations/|title=NHRFR Locations|publisher=[[North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue]]|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818182315/https://www.northhudsonfire.org/locations/}}</ref>

* Battalion 1 / Squad 2 / Ladder 1 – 1600 New York Avenue
* Deputy 1 / Engine 4 – 541–29th Street
* Battalion 2 / Rescue 1 / Squad 1 – 4300 [[County Route 501 (New Jersey)|Kennedy Boulevard]]<ref name=NHRFRLocations/>


<big>'''Pollution'''</big>

Brian P. Stack leaflets continue to pollute local mailboxes with unsubstantiated claims that more light equals less crime and has brought upon permanent daylight, using city funds that should be going to improving road conditions and instead blinding it's supportive citizens after 6pm with poorly installed layouts featuring lumens over national limits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucnj.com/News/View/2064/bright-lights-key-to-reducing-crime|title=Bright Lights = Key to Reducing Crime|website=www.ucnj.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scenic.org/2024/03/14/new-jersey-and-illinois-propose-outdoor-lighting-regulations-leave-room-for-improvement-with-digital-billboards/#:~:text=The%20New%20Jersey%20bill%20in,that%20are%20considered%20environmentally%20sensitive | title=New Jersey and Illinois Propose Outdoor Lighting Regulations, Leave Out Digital Billboards | date=March 14, 2024 }}</ref>