No fleeing the state this time around

Austin American-Statesman
June 28, 2007

Jeff Wentworth, the San Antonio senator whose district stretches into South Austin, frequently trolled the House this year to no avail. His plan to spare legislators from pummeling each other over congressional districts expired anyway.

But Wentworth, a Republican, senses rebirth.

If events break his way, lawmakers will soon study his call for a citizens congressional redistricting commission, like those in six states, including Hawaii. A bipartisan body could pass into law in 2009, before districts must be redrawn after the 2010 federal census.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst awaits the study request. But GOP Gov. Rick Perry is already committed to a commission as an alternative to legislators hashing out districts. Perry, Wentworth said, "doesn't want Texas to go through in 2011 what we went through in 2003."

That tumultuous year, Perry and the new GOP-majority Texas House, exhorted by then-U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, led the charge in redrawing districts.

Through the regular legislative session and three special sessions, House and Senate Democrats stalled Republican-sought changes by fleeing Texas. House members chartered a bus to Oklahoma. Senators later flew to New Mexico.

But revised districts stuck, and voters shortly converted the Democrats' 17-15 edge in the congressional delegation to a 21-11 Republican advantage.

Democrats, accustomed to leading Texas in Washington, yielded more than 100 years of seniority as members retired, switched parties or lost. And some districts looked plain strange, such as a fajita-strip-like district held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett. It ran from Austin to the Rio Grande (not exactly linking communities of interest) until courts nudged tweaks.

Lawsuits over the districts cost Texas about $2.3 million.

Wentworth fingers Rep. Joe Crabb for stopping his Senate Bill 1068 this year. Crabb, R-Atascocita, heads the House Redistricting Committee, which did not vote on the Senate-approved proposal even after Wentworth found most committee members favoring it. Wentworth said Crabb, who wasn't available this week, insisted on more study.

The senator also gave Crabb and House Speaker Tom Craddick a letter endorsing the commission plan signed by key House Republicans, including the chairman of the House Republican Caucus, to no effect.

If a study launches, Wentworth can claim momentum. Maybe he should offer colleagues a fact-finding trip to Hawaii.

UPDATE: When Perry vetoed a measure boosting rewards for legislative aides including a retired cook, he deemed it inappropriate to single out individuals for benefits not afforded to others.

It turns out that Perry approved legislation in 2003 and 2005 rewarding selected workers, though his office advises against crying foul.

The previous benefits were buried in broad measures affecting all state workers, making vetoes improbable and ill-advised.

Ye olde lesson: Legislators should hide their sweetest plums in the biggest pies.