Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3c: Proposed Congressional State Assembly and State Senate Redistricting C F O R ,9'q� r Cl/ prifft Inc ep r J A..nat 5, 1903 • ,44 Co '471 /111ty o`` STAFF REPORT Office of the City Manager DATE: July 19, 2011 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Don Penman, City Manager By: Linda Garcia, Communications, Marketing and Special Projects Manage: SUBJECT: PROPOSED CONGRESSIONAL, STATE ASSEMBLY AND STATE SENATE REDISTRICTING Recommendation: Receive and file or provide direction PLEASE NOTE: THE BOUNDARY MAPS /DISTRICTS AND THE PROCESS FOR REVISING SUCH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ON A DAILY BASIS. IF NECESSARY, INFORMATION IN THIS STAFF REPORT WILL BE UPDATED AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SUMMARY At the July 5, 2011 City Council meeting, staff was directed to place on the agenda the matter of redistricting and how the City and /or individual Council Members can make their opinion known as to the new boundary lines that are being drawn. This report explains the process and allows for the Council to either receive and file the report and potentially provide comments to the Redistricting Commission as individuals, or to direct staff to communicate with the Commission on behalf of the City of Arcadia. BACKGROUND Every ten years after the Federal Census, California must redraw the boundaries of its Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly and State Board of Equalization Districts to reflect the new population data. As authorized by the Voters First Act, which appeared as Proposition 11 on the November 2008 general election ballot, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRD) is responsible for drawing the boundaries of the above referenced districts. Creation of the district maps was done by the CCRD without regard to current districts, incumbents, candidates or political parties. The process was intended to be transparent and produce maps that balance the needs of all Californians, result in sensible and fair districts, fair representation and whenever possible, to keep communities whole in order to maximize their voices under the new districts. Criteria considered by the Commission are defined in the Voters First Act and include: Mayor and City Council - Redistricting July 19, 2011 Page 2 • Districts must be of equal population to comply with the U.S. Constitution. • Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice. • Districts must be contiguous so that all parts of the district are connected to each other. • Districts must respect the boundaries of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities of interest, and to the extent possible, minimize their division. • Districts should be geographically compact; i.e. have a fairly regular shape. • Where practicable, each Senate District should be comprised of two complete and adjacent Assembly Districts. • Districts shall not be drawn to favor or discriminate against an incumbent, candidate or political party. DISCUSSION On June 10, 2011 the CCRD released the first round of draft maps for Congressional, State Assembly, State Senate and Board of Equalization Districts (attached). Please note that the Board of Equalization District is not discussed in this report because Arcadia, like other Los Angeles County cities, is included in the Los Angeles Region District. The Commission accepted public input on the maps by way of public hearings, e -mail, fax and mail and is now in the process of revising the maps based on continued review and public input. A second set of draft district maps was supposed to be released by CCRD on July 14; however, the Commission decided not to release a second set of maps and instead referred the public to electronic working files on their website that are supposed to be available on a real -time basis. At the time this report was prepared there was no updated information available for Arcadia, although staff believes there are new options under consideration for our Congressional District. Based upon phone conversations with District staff — and again, as of the time this report was written - it is our understanding that public comments will be accepted until July 28, although any comments that are intended to effectuate change to the maps should be provided by July 22. Comments may be provided as follows: E -mail: votersfirstact(a�crc.ca.gov Regular mail: Citizens Redistricting Commission 901. P Street, Suite 154 -A Sacramento, CA 95814 Fax: 916- 651 -5711 In person: Testimony can be given at a Commission Business Meeting (held in Sacramento) Mayor and City Council - Redistricting July 19, 2011 Page 3 The Commission will approve new maps and submit them to the Secretary of State by August 15, 2011. Should the City Council wish to send one letter to the Redistricting Commission, a draft is attached for consideration. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that City Council receive and file this report or provide direction to staff as to input that should be provided to the Citizens Redistricting Commission on behalf of the City of Arcadia. Attachments: Round One District Maps Draft letter from the City Council to the Redistricting Commission :alifornia State Assembly - West San Gabriel Valle ,......."'"187. 1...." . gs.....„,„ It1,77. , ydale '` \., San Gabriel Mtn Foothills i , 0.03% Sierra Madr 5 II ti \ __ Pasadena _._ iti Monrovia r _ Arcadia _ r-' San Marino ail r 0, South Pasa . ena vilite. indale San Gabrie � � - East LA s i Temple City ;l 236 Los An • eles 7 . 0.05% / West San Gabriel Valley l 314 e Los Angeles 0.07% 1 Alhambra �� = aldwin 10 _° ...� East SGV, Covina „ • me 1,498 y Rosemead 0.32% - ji 710 Monterey Park Whittier - Norwalk f I 0 374 .08% 605 f 1 t , r te r. _- f`"Y Mon lo -- '' 7 r l �s/.itJ.' 20110610_g2_ad_Ia_LAWSG. pdf California State Senate - LAWSG 1 ""1f , La tariada Flint dl a " LASGF ° t ' , -1,951 __ j Y r.n, - 0.21 r % ' ~ ,I. Monrovia q ' 1_ __. ,� i i ierra Ma • • 5 Glendale \ i , } Pasadena-- - r Bradbury . .. 134 . n. l lY / 1 . �-J Due r San Marino Arcadia LADNT - • uth Pasade = Irwindale j - 858 , ° _ up M� - 0.09% - Ga bru Temple City 605 t i Alhambra C Weil e , Baldwin Park 01 Los Angeles .. El Monte --_--..� R osemea d r' __ .. Indttry .,:.r --- .�'' , Los An • eles / ,,` i. `� f, , Monterey Park South El Monte \-. � \-. ` �., , ... 4- •' ~err S \♦ /r � l r LAWS <% \. � r,. t - . � e -255 — 5 . ( 255 ' ,' ' LACVN , _., - 0.03% ---/ r'' -3,190 ,,,,s1 LAWSC . ' „ -0.34% 809 1 ` Commerce �,_� i_ - -, 0.09% , non , . o•• r-- untington - Pico Rivera' �•'� `� 4...__ -. ��o \ ,' ' Whittier ,__J T Garde La Habra - LAL _. South Gate �"" I 6,105 t, 0.66% — _--%. Santa Fe S!, • gs ` t j LAWBC iii+ Lynwood r Downey ` ` La Habra I i 5 Cc a pon j d n ° Pa n .. _ .._ 1 ,t •i 1.. , . - L1 T , 1 Bellflower Norwalk La Mirada 20110610_g2_S D_Ia_LAWSG einsimi ill me L. c t Lr-------r 0 7-t. 1 - -......„ .. -- L.,....■• C 2 / ,7 -- ............... „ .... --z "12 c r E Am' , • es 2 co c. 5 - a 1 o c . , 0 1.. 1 L — E E ( CO 1 o 5 . , Ei Cal - 0 ' ... 0 L.. -0...0 \ Ci SO + 6 1 c 1-0 =MD ri 1.) 1 CO MINIM CO •M It 1. I CO t- 0 ""'" I iF 2 73 ' CO 17 0 c0 — 12 C c .- co .z: —4 C fa ..., V N:17"-• . rr c 2 a ) I ."` — OS . 1111 ''' TU tr) '> •D - i c 4 , I • 0 0 -1:),.. .§. \,, C,,> / w 1 l- c .. _ . — \ to i r i , 0 t 0) — ea G 4.. a) I o 2 hr111111 : El " Iik 0 i c .... \,„ 0 . _ 7 n CU . en >, 2 • im _ 2 - c Cn 2 41 ul c 43 0 w sk, 47% .. .-.........., 0 1.. A . : 11 • U .‘"' E '• ,.. , n / ir ., ... -. 0 ( • :4. IL 1191116 . - ra 1----4 ---IF E - 6-..., ., , / ..c 4.. -0 c ?. . . rt,' s ke a 6.. r.,_ . — / >, g . o IMO 1 ta ta. l/1 ft3 1 i • 2 tv C 1 0 m co 6 cs in m i- m r, • ,,..1 CO C gi) 013 \ \ 0 ( g., 1---, 0 1: Kt ' .4 CL _ . 0 *Nab. • .-1 .... • ,-. -•-.. „C t. ++ ,. 0 2 t-N ...,, 1 _ 1) c 45 . ..... w .... fin _ _ XXXXX California Citizens Redistricting Commission 901 P Street, Suite 154 -A Sacramento, CA 95814 Dear Commission Members: On behalf of the City of Arcadia, we are writing to express our opposition to the proposed redistricting that would separate Arcadia from its neighboring foothill communities in the San Gabriel Valley. One of the criteria that is to be taken into consideration when drawing the new boundaries is that districts must represent, respect and minimize the division of "communities of interest." Separating Arcadia from other foothill communities and placing it with cities further south, west and east with which Arcadia has significantly less in common shows clear disregard for this requirement of the Voters First Act. For example: • Arcadia shares critical transportation interests with other foothill communities through the construction of the Gold Line Foothill Extension, the operation of the 210 Freeway, and heavily - traveled east -west thoroughfares. • Arcadia has shared arrangements and agreements with other foothill communities for important public services such as law enforcement, fire protection, water and health care. • Our connection and similarities with foothill communities extends to educational standards, quality of life expectations and values, employment opportunities, media and communication resources, environmental matters, economic development issues, recreation and cultural activities, and demographics. It is critical that the unity and strength of the San Gabriel Valley foothill communities — Arcadia included - be preserved. We are a group of involved, connected and collaborative "communities of interest" and to separate our city from those with which we have the most in common is divisive and, frankly, wrong. Respectfully swkmitted, Gar. Kovacic Robert C. Harbicht Mayor Mayor Pro Tem Peter M. Amundson Roger Chandler Mickey Segal Council Member Council Member Council Member