[Vision2020] The Palouse is no place for giant gerrymanders

[lfalen]

The reapportionment should be none with out reguard to how it will affect any political party. It should be done on the basis of cohesive units, that are easily accessible. The guidelines set up for the commission are good and should be adhered  too. If it is not it will go to the Idaho Supreme Court.
Roger

-----Original message-----
From: "Tom Hansen" thansen at moscow.com
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 02:30:17 -0700
To: "Moscow Vision 2020" vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] The Palouse is no place for giant gerrymanders

> Courtesy of today's (June 28, 2011) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
> 
> -------------------------------
> 
> OUR VIEW: The Palouse is no place for giant gerrymanders
> 
> One of northern Idaho's legislative districts will soon be moving to Boise.
> 
> The Idaho Citizen Commission for Reapportionment was in town last week
> getting advice on how to fill the resulting vacuum. This is just one part
> of its job to redraw the boundaries for the state's two congressional
> districts and 35 legislative districts to conform to 10 years of
> population growth.
> 
> Population has grown fastest in the east and west suburbs of Boise, not so
> much in smaller towns and rural areas. As a result, those places will have
> relatively less representation in the Legislature after redistricting is
> completed.
> 
> Moscow included.
> 
> After redistricting it is likely that two or three more Democrats will
> come from the Boise area. Still, it won't affect the balance of power
> there. Of 70 state representatives, 11 are Democrats. Of 35 state
> senators, seven are Democrats.
> 
> The question being put to the reapportionment commission is whether
> northern Idaho ought to be allowed to keep two districts with the
> possibility of electing a Democrat, namely the 6th centered on Moscow and
> 7th centered on Lewiston.
> 
> Arch conservatives Paula Bauer and Gresham Bouma of Viola are arguing
> against it. They think the two districts should be stripped of their rural
> voters and combined into a single "urban" district comprising Moscow and
> Lewiston, with Genesee thrown in. Then, Latah's rural residents could join
> a geographically huge district of like-minded voters.
> 
> This is the wrong approach.
> 
> We think senators and representatives in districts whose voters sometimes
> vote Democrat, sometimes Republican, tend to be more thoughtful, less
> doctrinaire, more practical, less partisan.
> 
> We think that's a good thing. That's the kind of districts the 6th and 7th
> are now. Their urban-rural combination should be kept, not turned into
> strident Democrat and Republican strongholds.
> 
> -------------------------------
> 
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
> 
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
> 
> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
> and the Realist adjusts his sails."
> 
> - Author Unknown
> 
> =======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet, 
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.   
>                http://www.fsr.net                       
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================