--- Conor Donnelly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> While examining the latest redistricting map, I'm
> wondering why our city ward
> boundaries don't match up with the state legislative
> districts? Effectively
> nesting these boundaries would seem to give citizens
> a clearer picture of
> their elected representation. Also, it might foster
> more collaboration
> between council members and state reps since their
> constituents wrapped
> together in similar packages. Would things be
> improved by matching
> boundaries? Currently, only the 6th and the 1st
> wards are represented by a
> single state senator. The 11th ward is represented
> by three different
> senators and four state reps. What are some other
> considerations regarding
> this that I've overlooked?
Couple of things: First of all, the most obvious
difference is the number of wards in the city. To come
close to the house district boundaries, we'd need to
have six and a half senate districts in the city,
which we don't.
Also, if I am not mistaken, and please correct me if I
am wrong, the city charter dictates that at the time
of redistricting no current member of the council can
be put into a new ward with any other member. The
rationale would be that since we do not have any
immediate new election of council members after
redistricting, every ward would still need to have
representation. That puts a serious limitation on the
people charged with redistricting in the city.
Loki Anderson
Marshall Terrace
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
=====
"Being good isn't always easy
No matter how hard I try"
-Dusty Springfield
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