The Independent View: NY Redistricting Update

I attended, last night, a Redistricting Town Hall meeting at Baruch College given by Common Cause with other Good Government Groups.

The short version was the Governor's statement today "You Deal with the Real". They think he will approve the Legislature's final lines, the Constitutional Amendment with some tweaking, and moving the State Primaries to June. If this happens, the Petition period would be March 20 - April 16.

Many groups are going to Albany to protest for the Dream Act and the Governor's Redistricting Veto. Today 10:30 a.m. – 1,300 immigrant New Yorkers gather in Albany for Immigrants’ Day of Action with a 12 p.m. press conference and rally at West Lafayette Park.

Some are saying the Governor knew about these final lines four months ago and will use his vote to get his Pension and Budget passed.

Common Cause said if the state was under pre-clearance the changes in Nassau, Brooklyn, Queens, and the calculation to get the 63rd state senate district would fail. Could become a court challenge if passed.

In advance of a suspected deal on redistricting between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature, the legislative redistricting task force known as LATFOR has set a meeting today for 11 a.m., according to a notice published late Tuesday evening. In the past three redistricting cycles, LATFOR met, discussed proposals, then voted to report the state redistricting plans to the Legislature, with the meeting itself being scheduled at least three days before the vote. This year, the meeting has been scheduled three days after the bill was introduced. The normal process was disregarded so a bill could be introduced Sunday to account for the required three-day aging process, in order to enable a vote today, a source involved in the redistricting process said. The meeting Wednesday will be a "rubber stamp" on the bills proposed Sunday, the source noted.

Central New York officials are calling on Albany to consolidate all of the state’s primary elections on June 26, arguing the three different dates amount to a costly mandate for municipalities.

Hope this gives you a sample of the dysfunctional New York Legislature.