Mayor Fife Stands By As Harrison Cut out of 32nd Legislative District

The State Legislative Apportionment Committee carved out the Town of Harrison from the 32^nd Legislative District and placed it in the 29^th Legislative District which is made up of the Ironbound Section of Newark and Belleville.  Harrison's former 32^nd Legislative District was made up of the municipalities of East Newark, Harrison, Kearny, North Bergen, Secaucus, and West New York.   

 Mayor Fife and Councilman/Director of Personnel Human Resources,
Compliance and Crisis Management for Harrison Board of Education James Doran had not anticipated Harrison being moved into an Essex County Legislative District and was quoted as saying that they did not have any recourse to challenge the decision. Doran who is also the Chairman of the Harrison Democratic Committee said they did not have the funding to mount a lawsuit against the redistricting proposal.  He compared Harrison to David being bullied by the Legislative Apportionment Committee (Goliath). The analogy is ironic since David against great odds defeated Goliath.

Mayor Fife and Chairman Doran are running out of time to file a legal action to stop Harrison from being moved into the 29^th District.  The redistricting committee is required by law to finalize the new legislative boundaries by March 1^st and unless an action is filed before then Harrison will be part of the 29^th Legislative District on Fife and Doran’s watch.  The rich history of Harrison being part of the 32^nd District will be a distant memory.  The late Mayor Frank E. Rodgers who served as a Senator from the 32^nd District is for sure shaking his head in bewilderment.  Mayor Fife and Chairman Doran went down without a fight.  Mayor Fife's election fund and the Harrison Democratic Committee's election funds are well funded to afford the filing of a legal action seeking to return Harrison to the 32nd District.  As Doran pointed out there is no precedent for a Committee moving one town from a neighboring county into another District.

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