Could it be that the winds of reform are actually blowing through Albany?
The state Assembly, led by Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) just announced it'll hold hearings this summer on the controversial issue of reapportionment, or redistricting — the process of carving out legislative districts.
It’s not the sexiest of topics, but redistricting is one of the key factors in Albany’s dismal reputation for dysfunction and gridlock. Currently, the majority parties in each house — Democrats in the Assembly, Republicans in the Senate — control the district lines and divide up parcels to favor their own candidates. This makes it all but impossible to kick out incumbents, bring in fresh blood and create real change.
A cynic might just call the hearings election-year politicking by lawmakers eager to come across as real reformers at a time when New Yorkers are disgusted with the workings of Albany. But Blair Horner, legislative director for New York Public Interest Research Group, pointed out that all four gubernatorial candidates — Eliot Spitzer, Tom Suozzi, Bill Weld and John Faso — have called for fixing the current system. And all but Faso want to see a non-partisan commission drawing the districts, the solution preferred by watchdog groups.
Still, lots of questions remain to be answered. Will the hearings go anywhere? Will the Senate get on board? Will anything really change?
“Hearings are not action,” Horner said. “This is just a step. But it’ll be hard for them to have hearings and then do nothing, especially with a new governor coming in who wants to see some changes.”
Lauren Weber
Comments (1)
Reapportionment is the reassignment of congressional districts among the states based on the census. Redistricting is the actual line drawing process within a state or jurisdiction. You can look it up, as Casey Stengel would say.
NY does not need a comission, it needs tighter rules. Arizona created a commission for post 2000 redistricting, and the 2001 plans are still in court, charged with lacking competitiveness.
NY needs transparancy, tighter rules on regional population deviation, prohibitions on the current task force members being legislative staffers or former staffers on leave, etc. Commissions are just as zero-sum as legislative plans. The NYC Council plan may serve as a model, as the criteria are pretty strict and the voting right act applies. And nobody even filed a court challenge.