OpEd: Why South LA councilmembers urge community to attend final redistricting commission meeting



Letter from Bernard Parks:

Dear Friends,

Last Friday, the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission released their latest draft map of the proposed new city council districts.

The Commission has proved, once again, that the numerous public hearings held throughout the city were a complete farce and intended only to give the illusion that the public had any say in the process.

When 74% of the public who gave testimony at the February 11th Commission hearing at West Angeles Church spoke in favor of keeping the current Eighth District boundaries why did the Commission decide to radically change the 8th, by removing all of Baldwin Hills, Baldwin Vista, Village Green and Leimert Park?

When 89% of the public who gave testimony at the hearing supported the current boundaries of the Ninth District, why did the Commission radically change the 9th by removing nearly all of downtown, adding USC, and transferring hundreds of residents to the 8th District?

The answer is becoming very clear: race. On-the-record comments from Commissioners and emails show that they are far more concerned about residents’ color of skin than about their opinions, their wishes, and the fabric of their communities.

This narrow-minded view that holds the voter in such low regard is not only backtracking on decades of progress in Los Angeles politics, it’s also a clear violation of the 1965 federal Voting Rights Act. According to the law, race can not be the sole factor in determining district boundaries. In order for race to be considered, there must be evidence shown of racially polarized voting. There has been no evidence presented that has shown racially polarized voting in any of the 15 city council districts in Los Angeles.

With the new map released Friday, there is no doubt that the Commission is arrogantly ignoring the will of the people, and also violating the Voting Rights Act.

This prompted Councilmember Jan Perry and I to send a letter to City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and Commission President Arturo Vargas detailing these violations of law and warning that the proposed maps will not hold up to legal challenges.

I encourage you to stand up for honest and open government and let the Commission know you will not tolerate narrow-minded racial politics that seek to divide communities in violation of the law.

TOMORROW the Redistricting Commission will hold what could be their final meeting, and they are expected to vote on the proposed maps. This may be your last chance to let them know what you think. Please attend!

Wednesday, February 22 – 4 PM
Los Angeles City Hall
200 N. Spring St.
Council Chamber – Room 340
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Comments can also be emailed to the commission at [email protected].

Respectfully,

BERNARD C. PARKS
Councilmember

Letter from Jan Perry:

Dear Friends,

Last Friday, the Los Angeles Redistricting Commission released their latest draft map of the proposed new city council districts.

The new proposed maps further disenfranchise the people of the Great 9th District. They do not reflect public testimony nor do they respect historic boundaries, coalition building, or common sense. Instead, specific plans have been cut in half, the fashion district has been severed from the manufacturing sector along the Alameda Corridor, the Figueroa corridor has been bisected, and the people of South Los Angeles have been left isolated and removed from the very economic engine that has helped to attract investment for the revitalization of South Los Angeles communities.

With the new map released Friday, there is no doubt that the Commission is ignoring the will of the people, and also violating the principles that they adopted to incorporate public testimony, respect communities of interest, and do no harm.

I encourage you to stand up for honest and open government and demand that the Commission respect your wishes.

TOMORROW, February 22nd, the Redistricting Commission will hold what could be their final meeting, and they are expected to vote on the proposed maps. This may be your last chance to let them know what you think.

We want to keep Council District 9 united. Please attend!

Wednesday, February 22 – 4 PM
Los Angeles City Hall
200 N. Spring St.
Council Chamber – Room 340
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Comments can also be emailed to the commission at [email protected]

Sincerely,

Councilwoman Jan Perry