Redistricting ALERT

There will be a Special Session of the Legislature to finalize the plans on October 3rd. (In less than 3 weeks) That accepted plan will govern for TEN Years.

 

Wasatch County needs a united front and it is needed NOW or we can hope our friends in PKC or elsewhere will look out for us.  

 

In case you haven't seen the recent Redistricting Committee recommendations, be aware that Wasatch County is not being "treated well."

 

The approve plan for the House (District 9) proposes to join some of  Wasatch with Park City (and surrounding) which (I think) would have the population majority; rather than joining with Duchesne Co. as we have for years.    (Each District must have a population of

 

The Southern part of Wasatch would be joined (gerrymandered) with Duchesne, Carbon and Grand. 

 

This quite possible could politically neuter Wasatch in the legislature.  

 

I posted this comment on the redistricting site ( comments are invited - but very few - and are read by the committee):

 

"Community integrity is far more important than numbers.  With the allowed 3.5% deviation flexibility more communities could remain intact.   The Census figure are already history and have certainly changed since the count.

With that flexibility, if not maintaining intact communities, you might at least be able to align some of the Senate and legislative boundaries.  For example, Wasatch County is divided in the Senate along 2400 S and in the House along Center St.

County integrity, at least, should be retained where feasible."

 

Yesterday I submitted two proposals to correct this and keep Wasatch whole.  There are other plans which also maintain our county integrity (e.g. 35238 & 35239).  This particular proposal is a modification with "minimal" changes affecting only 4 districts 9, 53, 55, and 69:  

 

http://www.redistrictutah.com/maps/house-wren-modifieddist-9-53-55-69  which reunites Wasatch with Duchesne and keeps Wasatch intact.

 

Second, a proposal combining a WHOLE Wasatch with PKC. (I don't see it up on the website yet???)

 

The Senate approved map divides Wasatch into THREE districts.  The main part of Wasatch goes as before with PKC, Duchesne and Uintah.    A second part (Wallsburg) is joined to Utah Co. and the third (Daniel, some of Heber and Midway, Independence and more),  is joined  again with Grand County and extends to MEXICAN HAT.

 

This could also be corrected (or at least easily minimized) to keep Wasatch whole by using the allowed 3.5% variance.

 

I had earlier submitted a plan which kept 21 of the 29 counties intact and divided 2 smaller counties and the six larger ones. 

 

http://www.redistrictutah.com/maps/senate-wren-senateredist