Archive: News

As the first step toward consideration by the full County Legislature, the Legislature’s Government Operations Committee today formally received the final report from the Tompkins County Independent Redistricting Commission on reconfiguration of County legislative districts.

Commission Chair Dr. Henrik Dullea, presented the Commission’s unanimous recommendation for a 14-member Legislature and described the process the Commission used to reach its recommendation over nine months of deliberations — during which it reached out for input through several public hearings, pored over at least 28 maps, and studied alternatives ranging from a 13- to 17-member legislature.

Dullea said he is confident the Commission has met every aspect of its charge from the Legislature.  He noted the recommended plan complies with the judicially established constitutional standard for population deviation among districts; presents districts that are substantially compact and contiguous; follows municipal boundaries to a greater extent that present; keeps the Villages of Lansing and Cayuga Heights intact; and minimizes the number of “sliver districts” extending into the Town of Ithaca.  Neighborhoods and communities of interest are also taken into account, whenever possible within the constraints created by boundaries of federal census blocks.

He thanked the County for establishing the Independent Commission, creating its charge, and providing staff support.  “To the best of my knowledge, this County is the only county in New York State that has established an independent redistricting commission,” Dullea stated, and he called the County “a pioneer, with a valuable story to tell.” He noted that the independence of the Commission at all times has been respected, and that there has been no discussion within the Commission regarding where any member of the Legislature resides or the member impact of any redistricting scenario.

Committee Chair Dooley Kiefer said the Committee will take up the issue again at its next meeting April 13.  By that time Kiefer hopes additional information will be available regarding how the City Redistricting Committee’s proposes to align City wards.  The City committee is examining potential four or five-ward scenarios.  In response to Committee questions, Dullea said the Commission would not support increasing from four to five the number of County districts if the City opts for five, but if the City supports four wards with boundaries that differ from the recommended County districts, the Commission would welcome the opportunity to examine those alternatives, as directed by the Legislature.

Before the redistricting report was presented, Enfield resident Robert Lynch addressed the Committee, proposing that 15 legislators be retained as part of the 14-district plan, with the 15th legislator elected at-large, an approach he said would provide additional access for all citizens of Tompkins County.

v8i12