Now's time to redistrict

San Gabriel Valley Tribune
April 3, 2005

BY opposing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's redistricting plan ahead of the 2010 Census, Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, verifies the need to redraw legislative and congressional districts along geographic, not political lines and to do so as soon as possible. 

Dreier is afraid Republicans could lose congressional seats without the current gerrymander. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats in the state Legislature fear their party will lose seats if the fix is out and districts are drawn by a panel of retired judges or others who have no partisan axes to grind. Such skepticism, we believe, is unfounded. 

This isn't Georgia where lawmakers there recently OK'd a so-called mid-decade redistricting, where Republicans control both houses of the legislature under a GOP governor. Clearly this remap was done to protect Republican districts. Certainly we don't want a flip of the current redistricting. 

Likely some districts in the San Gabriel Valley would remain firmly in the hands of the party that now holds the reins under a redistricting plan that takes into consideration population in conjunction with geographic confluence. Those areas with a preponderance of Latino and Asian populations, traditionally Democratic, would likely remain so. 

Some districts, such as Rep. Adam Schiff's 29th Congressional District that stretches from Burbank through Pasadena, South Pasadena and Temple City, could be a tossup if redrawn with geography in mind, as most certainly would that of Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy, R-Monrovia. 

Mountjoy's convoluted 59th Assembly District stretches from Monrovia and portions of the East San Gabriel Valley to the desert towns of Apple Valley and Hesperia. That makes no sense, except to guarantee a GOP majority. 

Mountjoy admits his and every other legislative district was drawn to keep power in the hands of the current parties. 

Because the Republicans are the minority in Sacramento, the majority of districts were carved to take in cities with strong Democratic voter registration. Republicans were no angels and acquiesced to being gifted with a sure thing. It's little wonder then why Rep. Linda Sanchez's 39th District is shaped like a sly smile. 

Instead of equal representation, these districts often fragment communities. Sanchez represents a portion of Whittier but so do Reps. Gary Miller, R- Brea, and Grace Napolitano, D- Santa Fe Springs. Under the carve-up, the city shares two representatives in Sacramento as well, Democratic Assemblymen Rudy Bermudez and Ron Calderon. 

It doesn't seem fair that a largely conservative town that votes majority Republican in almost every election has mostly liberals deciding for them on state and national issues. 

We're not saying that a redraw would guarantee GOP representation for the Quaker city but at least voters might see a genuine race, with candidates forced to campaign beyond the perfunctory mailers. Too, redistricting could force change in how pols do business if their re-elections weren't virtually assured. 

Many Californians are sick of each party drawing districts to suit themselves and not constituents. Too many Californians know their minority vote in a majority district is pretty much worthless. No matter who wears the district cap, it's the party, not the candidate and certainly not constituents that wins. As the governor likes to remind us, none of the 153 legislative and congressional districts up for election in November changed political parties. 

Californians more so than voters in any other state look beyond the labels and elect the person. But their choices are severely limited in the current configuration. 

Schwarzenegger is right to ask voters to blow up these "boxes,' and the sooner the better. He's looking at a fall demolition via initiative with redistricting prior to the 2006 elections. 

Critics say his timeline is suspect, that he would have the advantage of the newly drawn districts if he seeks re-election. We say there's no guarantee inherent in an independent redraw. Schwarzenegger has thus far spoken for the majority of voters in California who want to see reform in state government, now, not in some distant future. Bring on the dynamite.