Voters should approve Measure WW, reelect Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci, elect Sandra Holder-Grayson to the City Council.
Facing projections of serious financial shortfalls, Union City officials are requesting approval in the Nov.3 election of a new utility tax on the same ballot that the mayor and one member of the City Council seek reelection. Voters should approve Measure WW, an eight-year,5% surcharge on landline, cell phone, cable TV, electricity and natural gas service provided within the city. The tax is expected to generate $6.1 million annually that the city needs. At the same time, to best help the city make it through what are forecast to be some financially difficult years, voters should reelect Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci and elect Sandra Holder-Grayson to the District 1 seat on the City Council. Even before the pandemic, Union City was confronting long-term budget imbalances, which city leaders were beginning to address when the economic downturn struck. Since then, they have increased the number of budget-cutting measures. The trims have included closing an underutilized fire station, a hiring freeze for non-essential positions, a start on reorganization of top managers, reducing library and community center hours, eliminating community policing services and school resource officers, and deferred repairs, maintenance and vehicle purchases.
