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HomeMy WebLinkAbout18. Redistricting Draft Maps AGENDA MEMO DATE: June 28, 2011 TO: Members of the City Council FROM: Office of the City Manager By: Shannon DeLong, Assistant to the City Manager SUBJECT: Resolution Regarding Statewide Redistricting Draft Maps RECOMMENDATION That the City Council adopt: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY ADOPTING A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CALIFORNIA CITIZEN’S REDISTRICTING COMMISSION TO RECONSIDER PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS BACKGROUND On June 10, 2011, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission released its first draft of maps for State Assembly, Senate, Board of Equalization and Congressional districts. Though the proposed State Assembly, State Senate, and Equalization Districts appear to keep the City of Downey whole, the proposed Congressional District maps divide the City. The public comment period has been extended to June 28, 2011 to provide further opportunity for input on the draft maps. DISCUSSION The proposed Congressional District maps place the southwestern portion of Downey into a district with Inglewood, Bell, Cudahy and South Gate while the remainder of the City is in a Congressional District with Bellflower, Artesia, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Whittier, La Mirada, Montebello and Pico Rivera. The proposed congressional districts for the City of Downey put 90% of the city in with its neighbors in the Gateway Cities COG, but 10% of Downey residents are carved out into a different congressional district that would stretch 13 miles west to the 405 Freeway and the Los Angeles International Airport. The majority of Downey is located in a new congressional district that includes the entirety of the neighboring cities. For decades, the City of Downey has cooperated with its partners in the Gateway Cities COG on issues subject to federal funding and legislation (including transportation and air quality improvements); therefore it is important that the Citizens Redistricting Commission re-evaluate the proposed congressional districts to ensure that the region’s interests are represented. Furthermore, the City of Downey should remain whole in order to ensure appropriate representation at the state and federal level. FISCAL IMPACT There is no impact on the City’s General Fund. CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY REQUESTING THE CALIFORNIA CITIZEN'S REDISTRICTING COMMISSION TO RECONSIDER PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS WHEREAS , the California Citizen's Redistricting Commission has recently released maps for new Congressional, State Senate and State Assembly Districts; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey is a large city of 111,772 residents and has its own police and fire departments, water service, parks and recreation service, public transportation system, centers of commerce, school district and newspaper, all of which are tosatisfy the Commission’s definition of a Community of Interest; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey’s community boundaries are substantially defined by municipal boundaries, the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel Rivers, and the I-5, I-710, I-605 and I-105 transportation corridors; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, which is comprised of 28 cities in the geographically compact Southeast Los Angeles County area; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey has a decades-long history of working with its Gateway Cities COG neighbors to collaboratively address mutual issues in transportation, environmental, state regulatory and federal funding opportunities; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey is among the largest of those cities and is an integral leader within those communities; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey's future will be largely impacted by transportation and environmental issues, and the City therefore must assure that its interests are being collectively represented by state and federal elected officials whose districts share a community of interests; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey has a substantially reduced community of interest with the Cities of Inglewood, Monterey Park, Arcadia, San Marino, and the like which are cities currently included within the Congressional Districts; and WHEREAS , the current proposed district boundaries are inconsistent with the common interests and needs of the communities in Southeast Los Angeles County; and WHEREAS , the District lines should be redrawn to take into full and complete consideration of these commonalities and needs, of which the proposed district lines do not reflect; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey is not advocating for one particular Member of Congress, State Senator or Member of the State Assembly, but for proposed boundaries that reflect the commonalities of the Gateway Cities and will maximize our ability to advocate for community and regional economic development and transportation projects. Page 2 of 24 RESOLUTION NO. PAGE TWO NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1 . The City Council does hereby request the California Citizen's Redistricting Commission to reconsider proposed legislative districts. SECTION 2 . The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, which shall be effective upon its adoption. PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this ____ day of _____________ 2011. ______________________________ , LUIS H. MARQUEZ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ JOYCE E. DOYLE, Interim City Clerk I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was adopted by the City Council of the City of Downey at a regular meeting held on the day of , 2011, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Council Members: NOES: Council Member: ABSENT: Council Member: ABSTAIN: Council Member: JOYCE E. DOYLE, Interim City Clerk Page 3 of 24