A Redistricting Veto for the Voters By New York Governor Cuomo

A Veto for the Voters
Published: January 27, 2012
This week, New York State lawmakers unveiled proposed legislative
district maps, based on the 2010 census and required in time for this
year's elections. The maps, as expected, are entirely designed to
protect party interests for Republicans who control the State Senate
districts and Democrats who run the Assembly.

These maps are so self-serving and politically skewed that Gov. Andrew
Cuomo's office has said they are "simply unacceptable." He has
repeatedly vowed to veto maps that were not drawn by an independent
commission — and he should keep that promise.

The legislative task force that created these maps will soon hold more
public hearings and offer a final version to the Legislature for
approval. Some lawmakers assume the revised maps will be less
flagrantly gerrymandered. That's a vain hope. The proper solution is
to start over.

Here are a few examples of redistricting gone wrong:

¶In three new Senate districts, Republicans forced incumbent Democrats
into the same district to run against each other. State Senator
Michael Gianaris, a powerful Queens Democrat, found that his block was
carefully excised from his present district and tucked into the
neighboring district of Senator José Peralta, another Democrat.

¶Republicans also manipulated redistricting formulas created in the
late 19th century to add a 63rd Senate seat. And instead of putting
that new district in New York City, where the population justifies an
addition, they carved up Albany County to create a new seat for a
favorite Republican assemblyman.

¶Democrats in the Assembly have also drawn new districts unfairly. On
Long Island, for example, Democrats altered four Assembly districts so
that instead of one Democratic and three Republican seats, at least
one of the Republicans could easily lose to a Democrat.

This kind of redistricting is deeply undemocratic, making it hard to
take on incumbents and their parties. Legislators focusing on their
own districts have also failed so far to release Congressional
district maps. Federal District Court Judge Gary Sharpe added to the
urgency on Friday by ruling that the state's Congressional primaries
will be held on June 26 instead Sept. 11.

Common Cause New York has shown that it is possible to draw
straightforward and fair maps of Congressional and state legislative
districts by keeping communities intact and respecting local
jurisdictional lines.

The goal is to have districts that promote competition and serve
communities fairly. The solution may have to come from the courts,
since these maps are likely to be the subject of litigation. In the
meantime, Governor Cuomo must prepare to veto this scandalous mess and
not settle for any compromise that fails to correct the Legislature's
gerrymandered product.

More:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/28/opinion/a-veto-for-the-voters.html?scp=1&sq=cuomo%20veto&st=cse

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Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

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Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

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