Guv rejects Matheson's call for redistricting commission
The Salt Lake Tribune
November 12, 2010
Author: Lee Davidson The Salt Lake Tribune
Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, says his father, former Gov. Scott Matheson, had a great idea when he formed an independent commission 30 years ago to advise the Legislature on how to fairly redraw congressional and legislative districts, even though GOP lawmakers then ignored its suggestions.
Friday, Jim Matheson called on Gov. Gary Herbert to create such a commission now -- but Herbert quickly declined. He said the Utah Constitution gives the Legislature the responsibility to redraw boundaries after the Census every 10 years, and he won't interfere.
"The Utah Constitution assigns the responsibility for redistricting to the legislative branch of government," Angie Welling, Herbert's spokeswoman said. "Governor Herbert understands and respects that constitutional role."
That said, Welling continued, Herbert "encourages the Legislature to perform its constitutional requirements in an open, transparent and thoughtful manner that adheres to the principle of fair representation for all Utah citizens."
But Matheson said Utah Republicans in the past 30 years have used their large majorities in the Legislature to muscle through new boundaries that are anything but fair.
"Utah, the way it has conducted itself with redistricting, has received national ridicule and embarrassment," he said at a press conference while holding up a 2001 Wall Street Journal editorial that called Utah redistricting then a "scam" by Republicans in the way they drew boundaries to try to oust Matheson.
"We deserve better," Matheson said, adding that many legislative districts were drawn so that they are not competitive -- and will always elect either a Republican or a Democrat.
"We have one of the worst voter turnouts in America. A lot of political scientists will talk about why that is the case, but one of the clear cases is no competition ... . When you have one-party control, the system breaks down," he said.
Matheson said that his father in 1981 used an executive order to create an independent redistricting commission that had four Republicans and three Democrats.
"It was the right thing to do then, and it's the right thing to do now," Matheson said. "I think Governor Herbert should do the right thing."
In 1981, the commission's recommendations were ignored -- and Matheson conceded that it could easily happen again with a new commission. But he seeks it because it "creates a little less cynicism about our political system if we can have a more legitimate up-front process than backroom deals where politicians are drawing their own boundaries."
Matheson said he views an advisory commission as an incremental step toward perhaps someday adopting a system, such as in Iowa, where plans by an independent commission must receive an up- or down-vote by the Legislature without amendments.
The grass roots group Fair Boundaries attempted to put an independent commission on the Utah ballot this year, but fell short in gathering signatures. Mary Bishop, a board member of that group, appeared with Matheson on Friday to endorse his call for an advisory commission.
"With a supermajority, the temptation for those in power to slice up Utah's communities for personal political gain will be overwhelming," she said. "Redistricting should not be about partisan politics. It should always be about good government."
Matheson said it was all about partisan politics 10 years ago, when his district was redrawn from 400 square miles to 50,000 square miles -- and many Democrats were pulled out of his district and replaced with rural Republicans.
He said his district is three times larger geographically than Utah's other two U.S. House districts, which presents more challenges with travel and has forced him to open extra offices with essentially the same budget.
When asked whether he worried his call might alienate Republicans into punishing him more with redistricting next year, he said, "Can I be any more alienated than what happened 10 years ago?"
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Guv rejects Matheson's call for redistricting commission
Redistricting
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Every 10 years after the Census, Utah's Legislature redraws boundaries for congressional and legislative districts. The state is expected to get a new fourth congressional seat because of its increased population.