Union City is at a pivotal moment in its history. After 25 years on the City Council, Mayor Carol Dutra Vernaci is finally forced out by term limits, and many residents are hoping her departure will bring much-needed change. For years, the city has faced numerous challenges, from struggling to balance the budget to rising crime and the failure to attract high-paying jobs and new businesses in industries like high-tech, biotech, and hospitality. With the 2024 mayoral and city council elections, citizens are calling for a fresh direction, and candidates like Gary Singh for Mayor and Wendy Huang for City Council District 1 are emerging as the leaders who could bring that change.
Mayor Dutra Vernaci’s tenure has been long but has left many feeling that Union City is stuck in a rut. While neighboring cities have thrived, successfully attracting high-paying jobs and businesses that boost their local economies, Union City has lagged behind. Under Dutra Vernaci’s leadership, the city has become a magnet for warehouses and businesses that are often associated with high crime risk and violent robberies. Many of these businesses provide low-paying jobs that do little to lift the community’s economic profile, frustrating many who want to see the city thrive like neighboring Newark and Fremont.
Every year, the city council struggles to balance the budget, and their only solution seems to be to turn to residents to foot the bill. Union City’s leadership has repeatedly raised taxes, leaning on homeowners and businesses to bail the city out of its fiscal mess. Despite these efforts, vital infrastructure remains neglected, and the city continues to sink into a deeper hole. While the budget is balanced for the moment, it is balanced because the city continues to reduce or altogether eliminate services. It was less than four years ago that the city council closed a fire station, with the m saying at the time “We have been examining all city services in the last year to understand where we can be more efficient. Changes are being made citywide, not just with the Fire Department. We are confident that we made a decision that was in the community’s best interest.” No doubt that provides residents great confidence in fire-prone California.
Residents are growing increasingly frustrated with the state of Union City’s public safety. Car break-ins, catalytic converter thefts, and even home-invasion robberies continue through the community. Union City has a fantastic Police Department, but it is understaffed and overworked, yet the council has done little to remedy this, failing to provide the necessary resources to achieve full staffing. Meanwhile, tens of millions of dollars are being spent on projects like “median strip beautification” and bright green bike lanes that seem to prioritize aesthetics over pressing needs. Main roads like Decoto Road are riddled with potholes and subject to never-ending construction, leaving residents wondering where their tax dollars are truly going.
In this year’s election, many believe that new leadership is essential to get Union City back on track. Mayoral candidate Gary Singh has emerged as a promising option for change. With years of experience as a successful businessman and community advocate, Singh has the skills and vision to lead Union City into a new era. His platform focuses on responsible economic development, attracting high-paying jobs in industries like biotech and high-tech, and improving public safety by fully supporting the local police force.
Wendy Huang, running for City Council District 1, brings her own set of strong qualifications. A former technology executive, Huang has a deep understanding of what it takes to drive economic growth and create jobs in competitive industries. She advocates for fiscal responsibility, infrastructure investment, and ensuring Union City becomes a place where families can feel safe and prosper.
However, standing in their way are Mayor Carol Dutra Vernaci’s hand-picked successors, Emily Duncan and Lance Nishihira. Many residents fear that electing Duncan and Nishihira will mean just more of the same tired policies that have plagued Union City for years: more tax hikes, failing infrastructure, and an over-reliance on low-wage warehouse jobs that do little to improve the city’s long-term prospects.
As Union City prepares to head to the polls, the need for new leadership has never been more apparent. The choice is clear: continue down the same path, or embrace a new direction under leaders like Gary Singh and Wendy Huang, who are committed to revitalizing the city and restoring its promise for a bright and hopeful future.