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Massive Interest in Redistricting
Proposed Districting Timeline Draws Flak
- Proposed Districting Timeline Draws Flak
- Redistricting expert says schedule does not
- allow enough time for federal approval process
- by Ken Martin
- © The Austin Bulldog 2012
- Posted Tuesday, December 4, 2012 3:37pm
City Auditor Ken Mory and his chief of investigations, Jason Hadavi, briefed the Austin City Council in this morning’s work session, including proposed dates for accomplishing major tasks related to establishing 10 council districts, as approved by voters November 6. (The core of the briefing is contained in the City Auditor’s Slides for City Council Briefing.)
The briefing took place in advance of tonight’s related public forum that starts 7pm in One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road, Room 325. (To see a map, click here.) The purpose of the forum is to encourage participation in the Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission (CIRC) and secure a large and diverse pool of qualified applicants.
The schedule proposed by the City Auditor indicates that the CIRC would adopt a final plan for the 10 geographic districts by April 1, 2014.
Attorney Steve Bickerstaff, who has represented more than a hundred jurisdictions on redistricting in his long legal career, told The Austin Bulldog that April 1, 2014, is not soon enough.
Citizens Redistricting Forum December 4
Prop 3 Proponents to Monitor Implementation
- Prop 3 Proponents to Monitor Implementation
- Austinites for Geographic Representation form
- committee to help guide work on 10-1 system
- by Ken Martin
- © The Austin Bulldog 2012
- Posted Sunday November 25, 2012 8:56pm
Fresh off a major victory in the November 6 election, some three-dozen fired up members of Austinites for Geographic Representation (AGR) packed the meeting room at the Austin Firefighters Hall last Monday evening to map out how to stay involved during implementation of the 10-1 system for council elections.
Volunteer political consultant Peck Young, who provided the strategy for the winning campaign, roused the crowd.
“We need to remember we won a campaign. We created districts. We have changed something a half century old and changed it for the rest of this century,” he said.
But he added a note of caution.
Young said, “The work to keep this fair and honest isn't over. I promise you we have work to do so this process is not perverted or corrupted by people who never wanted this in the first place.”
“We've got at least another year of hard work to be sure it's implemented correctly.”
City Hustles to Initiate Prop 3 Tasks
- City Hustles to Initiate Prop 3 Tasks
- Auditor coordinating with proponents of 10-1 plan
- to begin what will be a lengthy transition process
- by Ken Martin
- © The Austin Bulldog 2012
- Posted Thursday, November 15, 2012 1:25pm
Faced with a December 1 deadline to announce a call for volunteers to serve on the Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission (CIRC), and a panel of auditors to screen applications, the city auditor’s office has shifted into high gear.
The deadline was set by Proposition 3: Ordinance No. 20120802-015 to implement what was approved by 145,910 voters, or slightly more than 60 percent of those who cast ballots on this proposition November 6.
The CIRC will ultimately draw 10 council districts that the City Council will have no choice but to adopt for the November 2014 elections, subject to approval by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Voting Rights Act. Only the mayor will continue to be elected at-large.
The city’s Fiscal Impacts for Propositions 1-10 estimated that Proposition 3 includes a one-time cost of $888,000 for construction and build-out of new offices and additional ongoing costs of $1.4 million a year to operate the four additional council offices.
But the cost of the conducting the work necessary to draw council districts and get federal approval has not been determined.
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Areas of Coverage
Austin City Manager: Dallas discard vs Austin retread
Are tax subsidies for luxury development legal?
Lame duck council set to vote on 20-year sweetheart tax deal for developer
Environmentalists assail plan for lakeside high rises
Urbanists vie to replace council member Kathie Tovo
First-ever opportunity to elect appraisal board members
District 10 Council candidates jump in early
Announcing the Government Accountability Project
Central Health launches search for new CEO
First-ever opportunity to elect appraisal board members
Announcing the Government Accountability Project
Project Connect
Lawmakers weigh axing Project Connect’s ‘blank check’ loophole
Project Connect scope drastically scaled back
Austin Transit Partnership gears up for key decisions on light rail design
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