2 redistricting proposals kick a council member out of office
Published: Monday, Jul. 11, 2011 - 12:00 am | Page 1A
The Sacramento City Council appointed an advisory committee earlier this year to help it maneuver through the volatile process of drawing new council district boundaries. The committee included some of the council's most trusted allies: an influential union boss, the city's former fire chief and others who run in politically connected circles.
And what did the committee do?
It turned around and recommended two district maps, each of which would kick a council member out of office.
The 14-member panel, whose recommendations will be presented to the council Tuesday night, considered dozens of proposals submitted by different community and interest groups. Ultimately, they voted unanimously to recommend four of those proposals.
The boundaries must be redrawn this year to comply with newly released census data, carving the city into eight districts of roughly equal populations. The final decision on how the new districts are drawn lies with the City Council.
Two of the maps under consideration would place a pair of council members in the same district, essentially shoving one of those lawmakers from office. And while it's unlikely the City Council would accept either of those plans – there isn't nearly enough animosity on the council to kick someone out – many City Hall observers took note of the proposals.
Committee members make no apologies.
"The committee was more concerned about protecting neighborhoods than politicians," said political consultant Steve Maviglio, who ran Mayor Kevin Johnson's 2008 campaign and was the mayor's appointee to the redistricting committee.
In one of the maps, Councilmen Rob Fong and Jay Schenirer would both live in a district covering Curtis Park, Land Park, South Land Park, Hollywood Park and a handful of other neighborhoods.
Members of the East Sacramento Improvement Association submitted the map, which unites their neighborhood with the midtown/downtown grid.
"Theoretically, redistricting wasn't supposed to take (council member residency) into account," said Paul Noble, the president of the association's board of directors. "Realistically, we know it will because it impacts the people who ultimately will approve those maps."
Another map, drawn by the African American Leadership Coalition, places Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy and Councilman Steve Cohn in a district representing North Sacramento, Robla and part of east Sacramento.
Combining council members into districts would set off a complicated sequence of events.
If Fong and Schenirer are thrown in together and the council decided to label the area District 4, both council members would have to run for the seat next year, when even-numbered districts are up for election. If the area were named District 5, Fong would serve until his term ends next year, then be out of office and the seat would belong to Schenirer until 2014.
In the Cohn-Sheedy scenario, if the area were named District 2, both would have to run for the seat next year. If it were given an odd number, Sheedy would be forced out next year.
Under both scenarios, a new district would be created that would be filled through an election next year.
There is precedent for the City Council drawing one of its own out of a job.
In 1991, Councilwoman Lynn Robie of the Pocket was redrawn into the district held by Councilman Terry Kastanis. The changes were made at the urging of African American leaders, who pushed successfully for a new district in which the Meadowview neighborhood was the focus.
Robie lost her seat after a 13-year run and the move angered many in the Pocket, some of whom sought to recall Kastanis, a Valley Hi resident.
Bill Camp, head of the Central Labor Council and a redistricting committee member appointed by Sheedy, doesn't want to see that kind of unrest repeated.
He advocated for the committee to discuss the consequences of drawing council members out of their districts – a request that was declined by his colleagues – and he worries about the message that would be sent if the council follows through.
"I think it's a legitimate concern on the part of the public," he said. "If we want to get significant outside investment in a new arena or the railyard, we have to have political stability."
Other common themes emerge from the maps.
All four plans call for most – if not all – of the central city grid to be folded into a single district, delighting downtown advocates who have lobbied hard for that change. As it stands now, three council districts slice into downtown and midtown.
"We continue to feel very strongly that the two rivers and two freeways and those of us who work and live and play within those boundaries have a lot in common," said Wendy Hoyt, a political consultant who served on a redistricting task force formed by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.
The maps also acknowledge a "community of interest" for the city's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, a first in Sacramento. Each of the maps connects the central city with another neighborhood that advocates consider "gay-friendly," such as Curtis Park, Land Park and east Sacramento.
LGBT advocates are hopeful that change would open the door for an openly gay council member.
"We are thrilled to have this historic recognition," said Rosanna Herber, who chaired an LGBT redistricting committee.
Another constant in the maps is significant change to districts north of the American River.
Massive development in North Natomas over the past decade caused District 1 to expand to twice the population of most other districts. As a result, all four maps submitted by the panel recommend breaking North Natomas off from most of South Natomas and into its own district.
It turned around and recommended two district maps, each of which would kick a council member out of office.
The 14-member panel, whose recommendations will be presented to the council Tuesday night, considered dozens of proposals submitted by different community and interest groups. Ultimately, they voted unanimously to recommend four of those proposals.
The boundaries must be redrawn this year to comply with newly released census data, carving the city into eight districts of roughly equal populations. The final decision on how the new districts are drawn lies with the City Council.
Two of the maps under consideration would place a pair of council members in the same district, essentially shoving one of those lawmakers from office. And while it's unlikely the City Council would accept either of those plans – there isn't nearly enough animosity on the council to kick someone out – many City Hall observers took note of the proposals.
Committee members make no apologies.
"The committee was more concerned about protecting neighborhoods than politicians," said political consultant Steve Maviglio, who ran Mayor Kevin Johnson's 2008 campaign and was the mayor's appointee to the redistricting committee.
In one of the maps, Councilmen Rob Fong and Jay Schenirer would both live in a district covering Curtis Park, Land Park, South Land Park, Hollywood Park and a handful of other neighborhoods.
Members of the East Sacramento Improvement Association submitted the map, which unites their neighborhood with the midtown/downtown grid.
"Theoretically, redistricting wasn't supposed to take (council member residency) into account," said Paul Noble, the president of the association's board of directors. "Realistically, we know it will because it impacts the people who ultimately will approve those maps."
Another map, drawn by the African American Leadership Coalition, places Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy and Councilman Steve Cohn in a district representing North Sacramento, Robla and part of east Sacramento.
Combining council members into districts would set off a complicated sequence of events.
If Fong and Schenirer are thrown in together and the council decided to label the area District 4, both council members would have to run for the seat next year, when even-numbered districts are up for election. If the area were named District 5, Fong would serve until his term ends next year, then be out of office and the seat would belong to Schenirer until 2014.
In the Cohn-Sheedy scenario, if the area were named District 2, both would have to run for the seat next year. If it were given an odd number, Sheedy would be forced out next year.
Under both scenarios, a new district would be created that would be filled through an election next year.
There is precedent for the City Council drawing one of its own out of a job.
In 1991, Councilwoman Lynn Robie of the Pocket was redrawn into the district held by Councilman Terry Kastanis. The changes were made at the urging of African American leaders, who pushed successfully for a new district in which the Meadowview neighborhood was the focus.
Robie lost her seat after a 13-year run and the move angered many in the Pocket, some of whom sought to recall Kastanis, a Valley Hi resident.
Bill Camp, head of the Central Labor Council and a redistricting committee member appointed by Sheedy, doesn't want to see that kind of unrest repeated.
He advocated for the committee to discuss the consequences of drawing council members out of their districts – a request that was declined by his colleagues – and he worries about the message that would be sent if the council follows through.
"I think it's a legitimate concern on the part of the public," he said. "If we want to get significant outside investment in a new arena or the railyard, we have to have political stability."
Other common themes emerge from the maps.
All four plans call for most – if not all – of the central city grid to be folded into a single district, delighting downtown advocates who have lobbied hard for that change. As it stands now, three council districts slice into downtown and midtown.
"We continue to feel very strongly that the two rivers and two freeways and those of us who work and live and play within those boundaries have a lot in common," said Wendy Hoyt, a political consultant who served on a redistricting task force formed by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.
The maps also acknowledge a "community of interest" for the city's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, a first in Sacramento. Each of the maps connects the central city with another neighborhood that advocates consider "gay-friendly," such as Curtis Park, Land Park and east Sacramento.
LGBT advocates are hopeful that change would open the door for an openly gay council member.
"We are thrilled to have this historic recognition," said Rosanna Herber, who chaired an LGBT redistricting committee.
Another constant in the maps is significant change to districts north of the American River.
Massive development in North Natomas over the past decade caused District 1 to expand to twice the population of most other districts. As a result, all four maps submitted by the panel recommend breaking North Natomas off from most of South Natomas and into its own district.
No comments:
Post a Comment