New York State Independent Redistricting Commission

Arianna
February 7, 2023
View File
Dear Redistricting Commission, Thank you for considering Roosevelt Island’s needs when determining the redistricting map for New York State’s Assembly. I strongly oppose the current proposal which removes Roosevelt Island from Manhattan’s District 76 and places it in Queens District 36. New York State’s redistricting rules require: Districts must consist of contiguous territory and shall be as compact in form as possible. a. Our Manhattan Island’s contiguous territory is Manhattan, not Queens. b. The proposed change to our district is sprawling, not compact. The commission must take into account the maintenance of existing districts, pre-existing political subdivisions, including counties, cities, towns, and communities of interest. a. Roosevelt Island is being severed from long established communities of interest. Our political subdivision is not being respected. b. The City Charter of New York City recognizes Roosevelt Island as a Manhattan community. The Constitution of New York State specifically provides two State legislators for each district, a Senator and an Assembly Member. Roosevelt Island, a Manhattan community, has a unique form of local governance. We are governed by an unelected, State appointed Public Benefit Corporation, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC). All of our local services are administered by RIOC, not by New York City. The Board of Directors for RIOC is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor of NY. Because of this unique relationship with the State of NY, in which our residents do not have a voting voice in their local government, it is imperative that we, a Manhattan community, have the combined efforts of both of our Manhattan based representatives, working together on our behalf, to provide us with responsive and fair dealing by RIOC. In addition, I am concerned about the impact this will have on our school district. Many of the children in our community - mine will soon as well - go to public and private schools in Manhattan, not Queens. PS/IS 217, the only public school in our community, is only available on a limited basis to children through the 8th grade. Confirmed by the school’s principal, Mandana Beckman, the school can only accommodate 33 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Therefore, the vast majority of our public, middle school children attend District 2 schools in Manhattan. The mandated DOE District 2 school, which has the highest volume of Roosevelt Island middle schoolers, is Robert S. Wagner Middle School, located in the 76th AD. In addition, PS/IS 217 can only accommodate 15 of our 3K children, and 36 PreK2 children. The majority of our early learners, who PS/IS 217 cannot accommodate, attend DOE District 2 schools in the 76th AD. Our District 76 Assembly Members have all had long, established relationships with schools in our required school district. We need to retain this invaluable Manhattan “community of interest.” Thank you for your service and for taking the time to read my concerns. Best regards, Arianna Gutierrez 531 Main Street #1127 New York NY 10044

Rebecca
February 7, 2023
As a resident of the 27th assembly districtI I oppose the new proposed lines that are being drawn. I support the current lines. I ask that you keep the southern portion boundaries as is. Please use Union Turnpike as the southern boundary, 164th Street as the eastern boundary and the Van Wyck as the western boundary. Ensuring that all of Kew Gardens Hills is within the 27th Assembly district was a promise you kept in your last drafts after testimony. Please fulfill this promise. Below you will find a link of the map we would like to see as your final draft. https.//Districtr.org/plan/161970 Please fulfill this ask from our community.

Reva
February 7, 2023
I am a resident of the 27th Assembly District. It is my understanding that a new set of maps are being drawn. I would like to voice my support of the current lines. I ask that you keep the southern portion boundaries as is. Please use Union Turnpike as the southern boundary. 164th street as the eastern boundary, and the Van Wyck as the western boundary. Ensuring that all of Kew Gardens Hills is within 27th Assembly District was a promise you kept in your last drafts after testimony. To ensure there is no separation of communities, please add the co ops north of the Cross Island Parkway in Beechhurst to our district. This will ensure communities in the Assembly District are kept whole. Below you will find a link of the map we would like to see as your final draft. https://Districtr.org/plan/161970 I ask that you fulfill this ask from our community again

JANICE
February 7, 2023
View File

Malcolm
February 7, 2023
View File
I am opposed to the current proposal, which removes Roosevelt Island from Manhattan’s District 76 and places it in Queens. However, you have the time and ability to change this. I am confident that a subsequent draft of this map will consider our needs detailed in this letter. I am confident that a new version will show us as we have always been: a compact, contiguous, community of interest in Manhattan.

Mercedes
February 7, 2023
View File

Eric
February 7, 2023
I believe the changing of the plans of th 71st Assembly district and other Districts who face the same fate. It is unfair and a sad day for all of us in NYC who may stand to loose seats in our local and state elections. We need the same representation not less.

Richard
February 7, 2023
Dear Commissioners, In the 21 years that I have been a New Yorker, I spent 12 of those years in the Long Island City/Sunnyside Queens area and the remainder of my time in Manhattan in various neighborhood's (Upper East Side, Murray Hill and now in Turtle bay). This draft plan is a terrible idea merging these separate districts which are really two separate worlds in every aspect and I see no true benefit here that will serve the people on either side. When I was in Queens, I rarely cared what was going on in Manhattan and visa versa. Other than the appearance of gerrymandering, I cannot fathom why this would be a great idea and respectfully request that this be abandoned and keep Queens and Manhattan separate in terms of it's districts. Regards, Rich Garboski Info@RichGarboski.com

Elvin
February 7, 2023
View File
Please see attached letter. Thank you!

Sandy
February 7, 2023
I am a resident of the 27th Assembly District. It is my understanding that a new set of maps are being drawn. I would like to voice my support of the current lines. I ask that you keep the southern portion boundaries as is. Please use Union Turnpike as the southern boundary. 164th street as the eastern boundary, and the Van Wyck as the western boundary. Ensuring that all of Kew Gardens Hills is within 27th Assembly District was a promise you kept in your last drafts after testimony. To ensure there is no separation of communities, please add the co ops north of the Cross Island Parkway in Beechhurst to our district. This will ensure communities in the Assembly District are kept whole. Below you will find a link of the map we would like to see as your final draft. https://Districtr.org/plan/161970 I ask that you fulfill this ask from our community again

Josh
February 7, 2023
I am writing to express support for the draft plan drawing of the 76th Assembly district. Specifically, I applaud the commission for drawing the district composed entirely of the Upper East Side, excluding Roosevelt Island or parts of Queens. Additionally, there is no transportation connection between Roosevelt Island and the remainder of the district, with the only bridge off the island going to Queens, where the island receives its emergency services. Roosevelt Island does not share constituencies, administration, or demographic similarities with the rest of the 76th district. The concerns of the residents of the Upper East Side, including transportation, housing, cost of living, and quality of life exist in an entirely different context than those of the people of Roosevelt Island. Both constituencies deserve effective representation in Albany, and, therefore should not be in the same district.

Ronna
February 7, 2023
I am a resident of the Upper West Side and a member of the West Nineties Neighborhood Coalition (WNNC). I live on 92nd Street. I am opposed to the redistricting plan for this area. Every part of the Upper West Side has the same issues, and all areas benefit from having a single representative. Dividing the Upper West Side does not serve residents and does make for a cohesive governing plan for the area. The current districting should continue. It will be a detriment to all of us who live on the Upper West Side if the redistricting plan goes forward. Thank you, Ronna Blaser West Nineties Neighborhood Coalition

Didi
February 7, 2023
View File
Please see the attached comments regarding Columbia and Duchess counties in the redistricting process.

rita
February 7, 2023
February 7, 2023 TO: Members of the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission This is to let you know that I strongly oppose the proposed redistricting map for NY State’s Assembly which removes Roosevelt Island from Manhattan’s District 76 and places it in Queens District 36. New York State’s redistricting rules must meet the following requirements: Districts must consist of contiguous territory and shall be as compact in form as possible. Our Island’s contiguous territory is Manhattan, not Queens. By the state's regulations, contiguous means not crossing borders. Roosevelt Island is in the borough of Manhattan. We have a bridge to Queens that principally benefits people with cars. We have a tram to mainland Manhattan that benefits everyone and, at 3.5 minutes, is the shortest journey to either borough. The proposed change to our district is sprawling, not compact. The commission must take into account the maintenance of existing districts, pre-existing political subdivisions, and communities of interest. The proposed map severs Roosevelt Island from long established communities of interest, including school districts, political subdivisions, places of employment, and religious communities. As one example, the Roosevelt Island public school PS/IS 217 cannot accommodate all the school age children living on the island; the default school is Robert Wagner in the 76th Assembly District. The City Charter of New York City recognizes Roosevelt Island as a Manhattan community. Roosevelt Island has a unique form of governance by an unelected, State appointed Public Benefit Corporation, the Roosevelt Island Operation Corporation (RIOC). All of our local services are administered by RIOC, not by New York City. The Board of Directors for RIOC is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor. Because of this unique relationship with the State of NY in which our residents do not have a voting voice in their local government, it is imperative that we, a Manhattan community, have the combined efforts of our two Manhattan-based representatives—Senator and Assembly member—working together to provide us responsive governance by RIOC. Thank you for your attention. Rita Meed 531 Main St., Apt. 1518 New York, NY 10044

rita
February 7, 2023
I would like to add my voice in favor of retaining the assembly district for roosevelt Island as part of Manhattan 76 AD. I am a 40 year resident of the island and have experienced and viewed myself as part of Manhattan. Most of us work in Manhattan, go to school in Manhattan and shop and use the medical facilities in Manhattan. We have had a long and productive relationship with our council representative and wish to continue as is. Respectfully Dr Rita Meed

Submissions

Public Comments Return to Archived Submissions Page