Yesterday, the NY State "Legislative Task Force On Demographic Research And Reappointment" unveiled its proposed maps for redrawn State Senate and Aseembly districts. And they are really horrible. For instance, here's how the AP describes the maps, "Among the proposed [Senate] districts are six now represented by Democrats in Queens which would be reduced to three, forcing potential two-way battles by incumbent Democrats in one district in the shape of a lobster," while a newly proposed 46th Senate district "would snake along GOP towns from the old industrial city of Amsterdam in Montgomery County, through Albany’s suburbs, to just outside Poughkeepsie, more than 100 miles away." And City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. told Politicker NY, "Holy crap they drew the Astoria Senate district into something that looks like a baby alien popping out of a stomach!!"
The process to redraw district lines is one driven by insiders; State Senator Martin Dilan (D-Bronx), who was on the Senate Democrats' rep on the task force, told the NY Times earlier this week, "We can see what the outcome’s going to be here; it’s the same as it has been for over 50 years... [It's] a farce and a waste of time and money."
The AP also notes, "In the Assembly, the Democratic majority proposed a new 138th Assembly District in suburban Monroe County, near Rochester, that appears to veer off in search of Democrats into a swirl resembling a big question mark." The Republicans control the State Senate while the Democrats control the Assembly. Interestingly, one upstate area that currently has four legislators would get eight, cutting up Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis Counties: "Dicing up counties among many legislators is a sign of partisan gerrymandering, good-government advocates." And speaking of goo-goo, the Citizens Union's Dick Dadey said, "What is clear is these maps are gerrymandered. That is what we get when legislators are left to draw their own districts. It makes the case of why we need permanent change and why the Governor should use his veto promise to get fair lines.”
CityRoom reports that Governor Cuomo said at first, "I want to let the process play ou. A lot of people have a lot of ideas. Some of the good government groups have ideas. Let’s see how it plays out. My point all along has been, I want a better product, and I want a better process. And I don’t know where it ends," but then his spokesman said, after the maps were released, "At first glance, these lines are simply unacceptable and would be vetoed by the governor." Politicker has some more amusing names for the redistricting maps, like "Pterodactyl sitting down."
