A Bipartisan Panel, said today, it has Failed for a Second time, to agree on New Sstate and Federal Legislative Districts in New York.
Absent a last-minute Deal by the New York Independent Redistricting Commission, the Task of drawing New District Maps will now fall to a Democratic controled State Lawmakers.
The 10-Member Commission faced, a Tuesday Deadline to come up with New Legislative Districts, after State Lawmakers Rejected the Panel’s competing Democratic and Republican plans on Jan. 10.
Democratic Commission Members said in a Statement today, that Republicans Refused to agree to a Public Meeting tomorrow, in which New Plans could be considered and brought to a Vote. But, Democrats said they can’t Schedule a Public Meeting without the Consent of at least Two Republican Commission Members. “The Republicans are intentionally running out the clock to prevent the commission from voting on second maps by its deadline,” the Statement said.
“We have negotiated with our Republican colleagues in good faith for two years to achieve a single consensus plan,” the Democrats said. “At every step, they have refused to agree to a compromise.”
Democratic Commissioners said they tried to Restart Negotiations after the Legislature Rejected competing Partisan Maps on Jan. 10, but Republicans Rejected their Offer and Refused to make a Counter Proposal.
Republican Commissioners issued a Statement blaming Democrats for scuttling the Process. The GOP Members said they had No incentive to avoid Negotiations. “Given the current political environment in New York, the only way Republicans could have any say in redistricting would be through the bipartisan negotiations anticipated by the framers,” the Republicans said.
This year marked the First time that New York allowed a Bipartisan Commission to Draw New District Maps as part of the Once-a-Decade Redistricting Process.
Voters established an Equally divided 10-Member Commission in a 2014 State Ballot Referendum, with the Goal of taking Politics Out of the Process.
Now the Democratic-controlled State Assembly and Senate will Draw their Own District Maps, along with those for New York’s Congressional Districts.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) would have to Approve of any Final Plan.
New York will lose One of its 27 House Seats this year, to reflect the Latest Census.
Ten years ago, a Panel of Federal Judges took over the Drawing of New York’s Congressional Districts after a series of Lawsuits.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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