PUBLIC WAS HEARD ON MAPS

Modesto Bee, The (CA) - Friday, August 26, 2011

There's no such thing as a perfect way to draw political boundaries, not when districts are required to be nearly equal in population and when the lines need to respect subjective identities like "communities of interest." We saw that with the maps drawn by California's precedent-setting Citizens Redistricting Commission. But the process for the statewide commission was healthy, because it provided for ample public input and took the power away from from the political parties. Likewise, the redistricting process for Stanislaus County's five supervisorial districts provided for ample public input and was heavily influenced by a citizens advisory committee. In the end, the Board of Supervisors respected the citizen-staff committee's recommendations. Some Ceres leaders are unhappy because their city isn't all in a single district. Therefore, it is incumbent on the two supervisors who will represent Ceres -- Jim DeMartini and Dick Monteith -- to talk regularly. That's also true for Monteith and Terry Withrow, whose districts both include parts of Modesto. Overall though, the county redistricting process was open and healthy.