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The Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment has begun a new round of public hearings on proposed state Assembly and Senate district lines, with the nearest one to Herkimer County scheduled for Tuesday in Syracuse.
In the proposed plan unveiled last month, Herkimer County would be divided into three new Assembly districts including the 118th, which would include Herkimer County towns generally north of the Mohawk River; the 102nd, which would include Herkimer County towns south of the Mohawk, including the town of Little Falls; and the new 119th, which would include the town of Frankfort in Herkimer County and Utica, Rome and Oneida County townships.
“These new district lines may be revised as we move forward, but I have heard from a number of Herkimer County residents that they are concerned that if this plan stands it would have the impact on our county of being divided into three new Assembly districts. This is not about me, this is about fair representation for the people of Herkimer County and other surrounding counties who also would be affected by this redistricting,” Assemblyman Marc Butler, R,C,I - Newport, said last week.
Butler said residents and local officials interested in expressing their views can make a presentation at 3 p.m. on Tuesday in the Henninger High School auditorium in Syracuse.
Residents and officials may also write comments to the committee at The Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, 250 Broadway, Suite 2100, New York, NY 10007.
Additional information, including a full hearing schedule and maps, is available at latfor.state.my.us.
Every 10 years, after a census has been taken, a redistricting process takes place to maintain accurate representation for each region of the state. The federal criteria for this process are an attempt to create compact, contiguous districts, keeping political units and communities within a single district and avoiding the drawing of boundaries for partisan advantage.
In New York, the lines, said Butler, are essentially drawn by the two legislative majorities.
“Many good government groups feel the majorities use the redistricting to preserve and even expand their ranks, at the expense of the minority party,” he said.
Many have called for an independent and nonpartisan commission to draw the lines, Butler added.
“That did not happen this year,” he said.
The 118th Assembly District, as presently drawn, would include northern Herkimer County, Fulton County, Hamilton County, 16 townships in St. Lawrence County and four townships in Oneida County, including Remsen, Ava, Forestport and Boonville. Butler would be the district’s representative.
The 102nd Assembly District would include the southern Herkimer County townships of German Flatts, Little Falls, Litchfield, Columbia, Stark, Winfield and Warren; New Hartford and Paris in Oneida County; all of Schoharie County and portions of Otsego, Greene and other counties. The 119th Assembly District would include the town of Frankfort and cities and towns in Oneida County.
“This proposal is blatantly political, and it is apparent that those who drew the lines have artificially fattened upstate districts while shrinking those downstate, effectively providing more downstate seats. This process has been an exercise in flexing political might instead of the law, which calls for the appropriate representation of citizens within a compact and germane district. The residents of our region are being targeted,” Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney, R,C,I - New Hartford, has said.
Tenney would represent the proposed 102nd district. Like Butler, she is calling on residents concerned about their new district lines to contact their proposed or current representative with ideas and suggestions. She can be reached by e-mail at tenneyc@assembly.state.ny.us.
Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, D - Utica, would represent the 119th district and has said he has no problem with adding Frankfort, noting the cities and towns in the district have a lot in common.
Butler said the Senate districts which cover Herkimer County would continue to have Sen. James Seward represent a majority of the county, with Sen. Hugh Farley representing several townships in the northern portion of the county. Congressional lines are expected within a few weeks, he said.
The Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment has begun a new round of public hearings on proposed state Assembly and Senate district lines, with the nearest one to Herkimer County scheduled for Tuesday in Syracuse.
In the proposed plan unveiled last month, Herkimer County would be divided into three new Assembly districts including the 118th, which would include Herkimer County towns generally north of the Mohawk River; the 102nd, which would include Herkimer County towns south of the Mohawk, including the town of Little Falls; and the new 119th, which would include the town of Frankfort in Herkimer County and Utica, Rome and Oneida County townships.
“These new district lines may be revised as we move forward, but I have heard from a number of Herkimer County residents that they are concerned that if this plan stands it would have the impact on our county of being divided into three new Assembly districts. This is not about me, this is about fair representation for the people of Herkimer County and other surrounding counties who also would be affected by this redistricting,” Assemblyman Marc Butler, R,C,I - Newport, said last week.
Butler said residents and local officials interested in expressing their views can make a presentation at 3 p.m. on Tuesday in the Henninger High School auditorium in Syracuse.
Residents and officials may also write comments to the committee at The Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, 250 Broadway, Suite 2100, New York, NY 10007.
Additional information, including a full hearing schedule and maps, is available at latfor.state.my.us.
Every 10 years, after a census has been taken, a redistricting process takes place to maintain accurate representation for each region of the state. The federal criteria for this process are an attempt to create compact, contiguous districts, keeping political units and communities within a single district and avoiding the drawing of boundaries for partisan advantage.
In New York, the lines, said Butler, are essentially drawn by the two legislative majorities.
“Many good government groups feel the majorities use the redistricting to preserve and even expand their ranks, at the expense of the minority party,” he said.
Many have called for an independent and nonpartisan commission to draw the lines, Butler added.
“That did not happen this year,” he said.
The 118th Assembly District, as presently drawn, would include northern Herkimer County, Fulton County, Hamilton County, 16 townships in St. Lawrence County and four townships in Oneida County, including Remsen, Ava, Forestport and Boonville. Butler would be the district’s representative.
The 102nd Assembly District would include the southern Herkimer County townships of German Flatts, Little Falls, Litchfield, Columbia, Stark, Winfield and Warren; New Hartford and Paris in Oneida County; all of Schoharie County and portions of Otsego, Greene and other counties. The 119th Assembly District would include the town of Frankfort and cities and towns in Oneida County.
“This proposal is blatantly political, and it is apparent that those who drew the lines have artificially fattened upstate districts while shrinking those downstate, effectively providing more downstate seats. This process has been an exercise in flexing political might instead of the law, which calls for the appropriate representation of citizens within a compact and germane district. The residents of our region are being targeted,” Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney, R,C,I - New Hartford, has said.
Tenney would represent the proposed 102nd district. Like Butler, she is calling on residents concerned about their new district lines to contact their proposed or current representative with ideas and suggestions. She can be reached by e-mail at tenneyc@assembly.state.ny.us.
Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, D - Utica, would represent the 119th district and has said he has no problem with adding Frankfort, noting the cities and towns in the district have a lot in common.
Butler said the Senate districts which cover Herkimer County would continue to have Sen. James Seward represent a majority of the county, with Sen. Hugh Farley representing several townships in the northern portion of the county. Congressional lines are expected within a few weeks, he said.
