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Changes in Ward E Map...I am a 20 minute walk away from my "new" polling place!
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Not too shy to talk
 
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I know the City Clerk made changes to the Ward E map. However my new polling place is the Holland Garden Housing projects across from the entrance to the Holland Tunnel, a 25-30 minute walk away. I used to vote on Bright and Monmouth. A 10 minute walk. This new polling place is a pretty long walk (I do not own a car)across treacherous tunnel traffic. What about the elderly, disabled, lazy or just plan scared of that area folks that want to vote. Is not this distance and highway barriers an incentive to disenfranchise voters? Is this legal?
Posted on: 2012/4/12 21:56
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
 
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New city ward map approved
Residents in historic district express concerns about future by E. Assata Wright - Reporter staff writer Feb 05, 2012 The Jersey City Ward Commission has approved a new map that modifies the boundary lines of four of the city?s six municipal wards, giving some residents a different representative on the City Council than they?ve had in the past. Residents in one historic downtown neighborhood are less than pleased that the new map splits their community in half and spreads it across two wards. They question whether their neighborhood concerns will still be addressed now that they?ve been shifted into a ward they believe has very different interests and priorities. As a result of the 2010 U.S. Census, the five-member Ward Commission was tasked with dividing the city?s population of 247,597 into six municipal districts of relatively equal populations. The new ward map approved Jan. 31 leaves Wards A and D unchanged and makes increases to Wards B, C, and F. The size of downtown Ward E, where the city has experienced the most population growth, had to be reduced. As part of this redistricting, a portion of Ward E was allocated to Ward F, but the boundary line cuts the historic neighborhood of Van Vorst Park in half, to the chagrin of residents there who believe the change won?t bode well for their community?s concerns. ?[Ward E City Councilman] Steve Fulop has always dealt with the issues of the historic districts,? Tony Sandkamp, former president the Van Vorst Park Association, said after a public hearing on the new map. ?The Ward F council person has completely different major issues, and until now there has been no historic district in Ward F. So, that?s a concern of the people in our neighborhood, because those issues have always been paramount in Ward E. [Ward F City Councilwoman Michele Massey] will now have to take on issues that haven?t historically been Ward F issues.? The ward with the largest black population, Ward F is more than 60 percent African American. Crime, education, and increased activities for youth are among the top issues for residents of Ward F, a community that is more working class than Ward E. The ward changes approved last week will reduce Ward F?s black population slightly, from 64 percent to 63 percent. Despite the fears of Van Vorst residents, Massey said their issues will not be overlooked. 40-block shift The ideal target population for each ward is 41,266 residents, although the law allows a margin of plus or minus 5 percent. This means each ward must have between 39,203 and 43,329 residents. Because much of Jersey City?s population growth over the last decade has largely been concentrated downtown, Ward E currently has an official population of 49,640 residents, according to the census. Given this growth, 40 city blocks ? and about 6,840 residents ? in Ward E had to be shifted into one of the surrounding wards that had too few residents. The map approved last week extended Ward F north to Columbus Drive, east to Jersey Avenue, and south to the tidewater basin. Van Vorst Park resident Oona Jackson Moore believes the change will impact the cohesiveness of that community. ?Van Vorst Park is a natural neighborhood. It?s an historic neighborhood. But now they?re splitting our interests because now we can?t move as a collective unit,? said Moore. ?We?ll no longer have one voice on the City Council. I understand what they had to do. But I don?t understand why they didn?t leave Van Vorst intact and put Liberty Harbor in Ward F.? Councilman Fulop agrees. ?The historic district is a special thing and they have a sense of community and share similar issues, as they have worked and advocated together,? he said. ?The concern is valid that this divides up a community without the city having explored other options. One would think that there are more ways to legally address the population shift.? City Planner Jeffrey Wenger later explained that, at present, Liberty Harbor has so few residents that putting the housing development in Ward F would not significantly affect the target population numbers needed for Wards E and F. The addition of a portion of Ward E to Ward F was largely dictated by geography. With Hoboken to its north, the Hudson River to the east, and Ward C to the west approaching its legal population limit, moving 40 blocks of Ward E south was all but inevitable. Massey: Two is better than one Moore is also concerned that the division will affect the anti-crime work of Downtown JC Watch, a neighborhood watch group that has members in the historic districts of Van Vorst Park, Paulus Hook, and Hamilton Park. When asked what issues are of most importance to her neighborhood, Marlene Sandkamp, current president the Van Vorst Park Association, said, ?Crime, flooding, taxes, and overdevelopment?This creates an identity crisis when my neighbor a block away is in Ward E and I?m in Ward F. Not that there?s anything wrong with Ward F. I just wish we?d been part of the dialog.? But Ward F City Councilwoman Michele Massey believes the residents? interests will be adequately addressed. ?It?s probably better to have two council people interested in your issues than one,? said Massey, who attended the Ward Commission meeting and introduced herself to some of her new constituents. ?I think they?ll find that many of their concerns are, in fact, shared by other residents in Ward F. Flooding, for instance, is not just an issue [downtown]. There are flooding issues in other areas of Ward F. There are no issues that they have that I would ignore. I support historic districts. In fact, I?m trying to get my neighborhood designated as an historic district.? Massey, a resident of McGinley Square, said she lives in a house that is 115 years old and is also concerned about some of the new development planned for her own neighborhood. ?There is power in numbers. So, I think it?s going to be a good marriage,? she added. Longtime homeowner June Jones, who also attended the public hearing, noted, ?Ten years ago, the last time we went through this process, I was in Ward E and was moved into Ward F. So, I?ve been through this experience and it wasn?t traumatic. It was a good thing, it was a good experience. I hope 10 years from now they?ll say the same thing.? Ward changes elsewhere While residents of Ward E were the only ones who spoke out at the public hearing last week, residents in three other wards were also affected by the changes. Ward B, whose population needed to grow by at least 1,512 residents had 10 blocks on the west side of Bergen Avenue between Lexington and Audubon added from Ward F. Ward C had to grow by at least 2,177 people. To do that, the ward now extends down to the north side of Montgomery. The city had to complete redistricting by this month, according to City Clerk Robert Byrne. As required by law, the city?s new ward map has been sent to the Secretary of State, the Superintendent of Elections, and the Hudson County Board of Elections.
Posted on: 2012/2/5 18:24
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Or any other ward for that matter. I guess this will make a name for himself while running for mayor.
Posted on: 2012/1/31 17:35
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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I doubt you'll hear complaints from Ward E residents about the level of service their councilman provides.
Posted on: 2012/1/31 17:30
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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That doesn't seem fair to the residents of Ward E and allows the other ward council persons to sit back and do less. And what about the council members at large does anyone ever call them ?
Posted on: 2012/1/31 15:39
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Fulop responds to requests from residents throughout the city, not just folks in his ward. Ask his aides.
Posted on: 2012/1/31 12:26
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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I'm continually reminded how little the Jersey City government cares about the interests of the residents of this town. They're only out for themselves. Screw what the people want!
Posted on: 2012/1/31 4:31
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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good points and
both the JC Museum and County Prep may now be in Ward F which might be a good thing. the JC Museum was de-funded by the city and County Prep and Hi Tech High, magnet high schools are targeted to both be relocated to Secaucus without much a peep from JC government. perhaps with Councilwomen Richardson's new political clout and along with appointee Councilwoman Massey, attention could be given to save one or both of these institutions. and remember, the grass is not always greener on the the other side Quote:
Posted on: 2012/1/31 4:05
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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From someone who was born and raised in Ward F, educated in Ward F, went off to college, is a homeowner and is still here, I welcome this change with the hope that the additional folks can help us continue to raise our voices to get the services that we need in Ward F.
Someone asked what you can expect coming into Ward F? Well, that we have a long way to go and that those who are spoiled by a great councilman like Steve will realize they have to work more to get their voices heard to get the simple quality of life issues resolved that you so take for granted in other parts of the city. Whether my statement here is welcomed or not it is obvious why Ward F is in the condition it is in but if you look a little farther away from Ward E you will find that there are more homeowners, educated, business people in Ward F than you might think. Ward F has been a struggling part of the city for MANY years, where the local downtown developers have thrown most of the "offsite affordable housing" and where crime and drug dealing is more visible, where mass transit is substandard and even with all those issues we have flourished and have been able to live, work, and participate in countless city meetings and community meetings to improve our life here. Absentee owners in our area usually live in NYC, upscale suburbs outside of our town etc. Let's hope that Ms. Massey can work with us and follow Steve Fulops work ethic. That's my 2 cents!! Welcome to Ward F , don't worry we don't bite!!  
Posted on: 2012/1/30 18:57
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Plus they (F) will get more resident home owners as opposed to having just absentee landlords.
Posted on: 2012/1/30 17:58
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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I don't see how you can get B into Ward E unless you came up with some incredibly acrobatic gerrymandering. Ward E abuts only 2 other Wards, C and F.
Posted on: 2012/1/30 17:13
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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The article implied that "gerrymander" type tortured boundaries wouldn't be acceptable to the courts.
Posted on: 2012/1/30 16:40
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Whomever replaces Fulop is more than likely going to be representing a constituency independent of the machine politics that drive the other wards given the rapidly changing Demographics. But the question is whether the machine concedes that Ward E is never again going to fall into the party line again or whether it attempts to create a competitive Ward E and stash the surplus in F and C while diluting E with portions of B, F, and C. It would be possible to push F along the south side of downtown, C into the north side of downtown, and move E further west where B,C, and F converge around McGinley Sq.
Posted on: 2012/1/30 1:09
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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So it looks like we're getting moved from E to F. What's actually going to change for us, when it comes to day-to-day issues?
Posted on: 2012/1/29 23:49
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Look at the glass half full, F will get a bunch of educated empowered homeowners who won't stand for the usual crap from their ward and will be activated to get involved in ward F politics. I know families in the Heights who are active and making headway in the "resistance" to the Gaughan hegemony.
Posted on: 2012/1/29 23:28
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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so what percentage drop do people guess for Real Estate that gets shifted out of Ward E to Ward F? Mercer between Jersey and Varick is a nice block that will lose its ability to call on Fulop for various issues...
Posted on: 2012/1/29 23:16
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Here is some more info?.
Jersey City shifting boundaries of its Ward F to equalize population numbers in wards Published: Saturday, January 28, 2012, 3:02 AM By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal A 10-block sliver of properties in Jersey City between Kennedy Boulevard and Bergen Avenue will move from Ward F to Ward B, while a roughly 7,000-resident area of Ward E will soon call Ward F home in a new ward map set for approval next week. The proposed changes will also make the populations of Ward E and Ward F less black, and Ward E more Asian. The percentage of white voters will increase only in those two wards. The process of re-drawing the boundaries of Jersey City?s six wards occurs every 10 years, after new Census figures are released. City Clerk Robert Byrne, who sits on the commission tasked with creating the new borders, said the newest map was created with little fuss or complaint. The largest change is in Ward E, which saw a 30 percent increase in population in the last decade, according to Census figures. The other wards saw mostly minor decreases in population, with Ward A gaining by 2 percent, figures show. State law dictates that the population of the wards can?t vary by more than 10 percent, so Ward E has to lose about 40 city blocks to bring its population into compliance. Byrne, working with city Planner Jeff Wenger, created a new Ward E/Ward F boundary running along portions of Montgomery Avenue and Christopher Columbus Drive on the north and Jersey Avenue on the east. That means the Van Vorst area Downtown will be split between the two wards. Meanwhile, the Jersey City Medical Center, the Jersey City Museum facility, the Booker T. Washington Public Housing Complex and the Brunswick Estates complex, all currently in Ward E, will soon sit in Ward F. Full JJ piece?. http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... y_shifting_boundarie.html Buy the JJ..a real aWARD winner Hey Grove Path ..don?t get any idea?s the Booker T. Washington Public Housing Complex and Brunswick Estates should still get listed as Downtown: in your crime postings! Crime goes by zip code not ward. 
Posted on: 2012/1/29 15:30
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Just can't stay away
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Hi everyone as an FYI there is a public meeting about the redistricting next Tuesday, January 31, at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.
Posted on: 2012/1/27 2:49
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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4 and 40 both sound strange
Posted on: 2012/1/26 19:14
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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The following correction was printed in today?s JJ (1/26/12).
?A story in yesterday?s newspaper about changing the boundaries of Jersey City?s wards based on the latest Census figures should have said that 40 city blocks will have to be removed from Ward E according to City Clerk Robert Byrne.? This sounds strange to me. It said 4 city blocks in the JJ on 1/24 and on 1/25. Now it is 40? Buy the JJ?they FIX their mistakes!!
Posted on: 2012/1/26 19:09
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Quote:
brewster wrote: Quote:
Posted on: 2012/1/26 0:50
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Downtown can only be gerrymandered so much, since two of its borders are set by Hoboken and water. Given that almost all large development is downtown it's no surprise that some of downtown will have to be broken off into another ward. Redistricting doesn't affect Steve for the simple fact that he's running for Mayor. The new Ward F residents are not all of a sudden going to change their political inclinations. In terms of whoever else runs for E, the population that is left is still going to have the same outlook, even if half of the Van Vorst Park District is no longer in the Ward. There may be a stall in large development over the next few years but, hopefully, Liberty Harbor will eventually be built out, and the various waterfront projects will continue. My opposition to the proposals in PAD is well known, but if they are complete than that is another huge boost in Ward E population. There is very little comparable across the city except the proposed Journal Square redevelopment and I don't think that will happen for a long time. If these patterns continue, then downtown could not only have its own ward but have a significant pull in at least one other ward. As it stands, I think whoever serves Ward F in the next decade will not be able to completely ignore the downtown constituency because it is relatively vocal and active.
Posted on: 2012/1/25 21:23
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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Lafayette wrote: I can say that the Lafayette residents would love an easier, safer, and WELL LIT walk to the PATH 
Posted on: 2012/1/25 21:18
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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That's a good & fair question. The main reason, alluded to elsewhere, is that the commuter lot is configured to block access except from Johnston or Communipaw - this forces residents to walk a wide and poorly lit arc around the lot, adding several minutes and increasing safety risks. Direct access would be possible via Maple St - only it's blocked at Monitor, which the lot abuts. Apparently, this is is to ensure the security of commuters' vehicles that are parked in the lot, presumably from Lafayette residents. Another reason why the LR isn't always ideal is the hassle of getting uptown; LR to Exchange Place and WTC is great, but getting to midtown requires a much longer LR ride to Newport. This is why the near-discontinuation of bus service was a big deal a couple of months ago - and why the abysmal performance of the service currently available to us remains an issue. Most days I'm happy to walk to Grove St PATH, but after dark that's a non-starter - hence others' suggestion of better lighting for the walk to the PATH. I'd be thrilled if Lafayette could better enter the dialogue regarding a growth strategy for JC that makes sense for the entire city. I think that's more likely to happen if we find ourselves working & communicating with some of our fellow residents downtown under the same council representation.
Posted on: 2012/1/25 20:39
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Maybe you would prefer a city hall in each ward. Although wouldn't that be a ward hall?
Posted on: 2012/1/25 20:02
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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The DT residents might actually oppose it for security reasons. What do the At Large councilpersons have to say about all of this ?
Posted on: 2012/1/25 19:28
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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They do...when they vote on issues at 280 Grove.
Posted on: 2012/1/25 19:20
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Either way it was fun while it lasted.
Posted on: 2012/1/25 19:00
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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I get the NY feel when I walk near van vorst and when I see the shops on Grove.... I mean its not exactly NY but it's getting there....NY is full of cars too. I work there.
Mass transporation here is really inept. Not sure if the traffic study shows more vehicles or if traffic will just be redirected. I will most definitely attend any meetings and want to see good presentations on this. I do remember residents begging and pleading for better mass transit services to avoid cars coming into Downtown, especially when the NO. 4 bus was cut. The majority of residents are not trying to make it to west side in the morning and are not trying to make it to bayonne. The light rail stop is a long walk and I have made it faster to the path then to the light rail especially if I cut throught pathmark, but it sure is a pedestrian UN- friendly walk. When Holloway was pushing for the light rail the residents were tricked into thinking we would get a stop at Bramhall which would of help out a bit. As far I can see most people are packing the bus rather than get on the light rail at rush hour, Not to mention some will not walk from the light rail at night. Have you seen it after 6:30? Its desolate and dark as it gets later in evening. Remember its not only accessiblity its also a safety concern. Currently you can technically walk from LSC to Jersey Avenue but are people really enticed to walk all that at night?? Not really. The comments at past meetings is that the Light rail "circumvents the neighborhood" and when people ask me about living here I don't sugar coat it. It's a work in progress. It's not a 5 minute walk to the light rail unless you live at the warehouse bldg adjacent to the light rail. Bicyclists would love to have a lane and be able to ride into downtown "safely"....I mean like you said, the tranportation needs to be there. With the wards changing let's see what the new year brings us.....whatever changes happen I am sure many will not be happy to be pulled from Ward E and brought into let's say Ward F....I would be too if I lost Steve as a councilman.
Posted on: 2012/1/25 16:30
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Re: Jersey City's Ward E (Downtown) to lose some residents as ward boundaries are redrawn
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Home away from home
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I would love the NY "Feel" which would mean that cars are subverted to pedestrians and public transportation. Downtown residents absolutely do not want a suburb, they do not want the city turning the downtown streets into highways, which is what they are becoming and will further become if Jersey Avenue is opened up onto Grand Street.
I have little problem with the cars, so long as they are moving slowly. That is a city "feel." What the City is doing, in complete opposition to downtown residents wishes, is creating more roadways so more traffic can go even faster and cause more accidents, like the fatal one last week. I am curious as to why you don't think the light rail services Lafayette. Certainly the park and ride is designed so that commuters can stop there and take the light rail to their final destination, which is a point of public transportation. But the light rail is very accessible to the neighborhood and can take Lafayette Residents to downtown, to the waterfront, to the Newport Mall, to the Hub, to the Westside, to the Arts District, to Hoboken, to the Heights, to Weehawken, to Union City, to Bayonne and to North Bergen. And of course, it gives you easy access to four PATH stops. I know commuters from Wards A and F for whom it is an integral part of their commute. I see literally dozens of students getting off the Jersey Avenue light rail stop every morning to go to M.S. 4 and Ferris HS. In fact, it was largely due to the advocacy of the late Ward F councilwoman Melissa Holloway that NJ Transit included the West Side extension as part of the route so that more inner city residents would have access to the light rail.
Posted on: 2012/1/25 16:08
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