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Saturday, October 24, 2009
Ind. Gov't. - Star editorializes against redrawing Indy maps based on the 2000 census
The headline to the editorial is "Power play for political purposes." It reads:
Republicans on the City-County Council appear ready to waste $500,000 in taxpayers' money for purely political purposes at the same time the city has been forced to cut funding for basic services.See this ILB entry from May 23, 2004, headed "Indiana Law - Indianapolis Star editorializes against gerrymandering," which includes these quotes:The council, controlled by its GOP members, included a half-million dollars in the 2010 city budget to redraw maps of political districts. Redistricting normally takes place after a Census is completed so that new maps better reflect population shifts. That can't happen next year, however, because new Census data won't be released until 2011.
Which means council Republicans are preparing to draw maps based on information collected in the 2000 Census.
Why the rush? State law blocks redistricting between November 2010 and November 2011, when the next election for council seats takes place. Republicans clearly are trying to push through district maps that are more favorable to them ahead of the 2011 election.
And they're not even shy about it.
"That's the name of the game,'' Council President Bob Cockrum told The Star's Francesca Jarosz. "It's the same thing (Democrats) did last time.''
Well, Democrats certainly aren't above resorting to rigging district maps to keep themselves in power. (Just look at the political games played in the Indiana Statehouse to understand that point.) But Cockrum is trying to rewrite the history of the most recent redistricting fight in Marion County.
In 2003, the Republican majority approved new district boundaries. After the plan was rejected by Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson, the dispute landed in the Indiana Supreme Court, which declared the Republican map to be too partisan. The court then drew its own map, which is still in effect.
The 2003 election featured closely contested races among well-qualified candidates in several districts. Democrats gained control of the council for the first time. The next election, in 2007, brought a reversal -- with Republicans regaining the majority.
Two elections. Two close results. Two parties alternating power. The system it would seem has worked as intended.
Council Republicans, however, are now trying to protect their turf through power politics. If they proceed, it would be not only a cynical waste of taxpayers' money but also an abuse of voters' trust.
The Indiana Supreme Court decision referred to in the Star editorial, where the Court itself redrew Marion County city-county council districts itself, is Peterson v. Borst (Ind.S.Ct. 3/19/03), which begins:At issue in this appeal is the validity of the redistricting plan for the City-County Council of the City of Indianapolis and of Marion County, Indiana ("Council"), which was adopted in the final judgment of the Marion Superior Court, sitting en banc. We reverse because we conclude that the Superior Court's adoption of a plan that has been uniformly supported by one major political party and uniformly opposed by the other is incompatible with applicable principles of both the appearance and fact of judicial independence and neutrality. Because of the emergency nature of this appeal, we adopt a plan that we have drawn with the consideration of only factors required by applicable federal and State law, and without consideration of party affiliation or incumbency. This plan will be in effect for the May 6, 2003, primary election unless a different plan is adopted by ordinance prior to March 26, 2003.(Note that our Supreme Court acted to draw the maps itself only because it appeared that no time remained for any other option.)
Posted by Marcia Oddi on October 24, 2009 02:29 PM
Posted to Indiana Government