New York State Independent Redistricting Commission

Michelle
January 26, 2023
View File

Alexander
January 25, 2023
View File
Hello, Please see attached for a letter concerning my thoughts on the current redistricting proposal as a Roosevelt Island resident. Thank you, Alexander Arzac

Joe
January 25, 2023
View File

Christine
January 25, 2023
I am writing to respectfully express my opposition to the proposed NYS Assembly district maps, particularly regarding the Town of Guilderland. If it is the goal of the Redistricting Committee to maintain the core of existing districts and to keep communities of interest together, than the proposed map is a failure. Looking at the boundaries of the proposed District 102, I wonder if anyone on the Committee has ever visited the Town of Guilderland. Guilderland is lovely suburban community with very strong ties to the City of Albany, Town of Colonie, Town of New Scotland and Town of Bethlehem. We are part of what we call the Capital District area. To separate Guilderland from the City of Albany and to include it with far distant rural communities like Schoharie County, Montgomery County and Fulton County, simply makes no sense. As a longtime resident who grew up in Guilderland, and one who is currently serving on the Town Council, let me tell you about the area. Guilderland can be described as a bedroom community with many of our residents commuting daily to the City of Albany for work. Many residents are employed in the NYS State government, or in business located in downtown Albany. Healthcare services for Guilderland are provided mainly by two large hospital systems, Albany Medical Center and St. Peter’s Health Partners, both located mainly in Albany. Much of the workforce that staffs these large healthcare systems live in Guilderland and the other suburban towns. The State University of New York at Albany, SUNY, is in both the City of Albany and the Town of Guilderland. Many of the people who work and teach at SUNY Albany, live in Guilderland because of its proximity to the SUNY Albany campus. The Capital District Transportation Authority, or CDTA, serves Guilderland as well as the City of Albany. Many families who live in Guilderland have close relatives living in the City of Albany, Town of Colonie, and Town of Bethlehem. My family originally started out in Albany. I was born in the City of Albany, lived in Colonie, and then my family moved to Guilderland when I was in kindergarten. I moved back to Albany to attend Albany Law School, and to work in a downtown law firm. Today, I live in Guilderland but commute a mere five miles to City of Albany almost every day since my law firm has an office on Washington Avenue Extension, which is a strip of the City of Albany that extends between Town of Guilderland and Town of Colonie. My contact with the City of Albany is not unique or unusual for Guilderland residents. On the other hand, Guilderland residents have almost no connection to the other communities included the proposed assembly district. The interests of a mostly suburban community compared to a mostly rural area are very different. To include the Town of Guilderland with these distant communities would not only be illogical but would deprive the residents of Guilderland of their voice in the State Assembly. For these reasons, I urge the Redistricting Commission to scrap the proposed map and return Guilderland to where it belongs, with the City of Albany and our neighboring suburban towns. Christine Napierski, Guilderland Town Council

Eleanor
January 25, 2023
Currently I serve as second Vice Chair of Saratoga County Democratic Committee. The proposed 110 Assembly District defies common sense. It spans 3 counties - each with its own identity and needs. It will create voter confusion and diluted representation. But most importantly the very fact of electing representatives will be lost on the very people they are elected to represent. Saratoga County has little in common with Albany and Schenectady Counties. In fact, the Colonie landfill has created animosity with its Saratoga neighbors in Halfmoon and Waterford. Albany and Schenectady and Saratoga's Counties social and economic issues are different yet just as important to their constituents. Don't make it impossible to represent effectively by spreading the elected officials across multiple counties.

Denis
January 25, 2023
View File

Lynne
January 25, 2023
I am against the current redistricting lines for the following reason: The redistricting commission is supposed to draw lines that respect the cores of current assembly districts and to create districts that include communities of common interest. But this draft puts both our long-standing and current Assembly member Pat Fahy and our newer current Assemblymember Phil Steck in different districts while ripping Guilderland away from historically being part of an Albany County urban/suburban district. It also creates a district where Guilderland is the only town that votes consistently for Democrats as a majority and where our town would have no common or historical bonds with the rest of the district. Sincerely, Lynne Buchanan

Donald
January 25, 2023
View File
The Town of Chateaugay requests that no changes be made to Assembly District 115 regarding Franklin County . The entire county is our community, we live and work together, and our assemblyman is always available to the citizens. Respectfully ; Donald Bilow, Chateaugay town supervisor

Nicole
January 25, 2023
View File
Please read my attached letter in opposition of redistricting which would divide Clinton and Franklin Counties. Thank you!

Pamela
January 25, 2023
My name is Pam Pearlman and I am treasurer of the Friends of the Greenhouse located at the Sustainable Living Center in Schenectady Central Park. I live in North Schenectady near Union College and have been a resident since 1990. Working with Cornell Cooperative Extension and the city of Schenectady to address food insecurity, healthy nutrition through such programs as Seed to Supper and roots and wisdom employing inner city youth. The community needs within the city are significant due to the high rates of poverty. With 22% of the city’s population living in poverty it is imperative to have two assembly representatives to assist the community with grant funding to develop and continue programs that benefit and assist our poverty stricken population.

Lois
January 24, 2023
January 24, 2023 To the Independent Redistricting Commission: I would like to make a statement regarded the exclusion of Waterford and Rensselaer from the 108th Assembly District in the newly proposed Assembly District map. The City of Rensselaer and the Town/Village of Waterford have much in common with the other small cities and communities that border this section of the Hudson River. Watervliet, Troy, Green Island, Cohoes, Rensselaer and Waterford have been historically grouped together in the same NYS Assembly District for more than 40 years and form communities of interest. Rensselaer is connected to Watervliet, Troy, Green Island and Cohoes via I-787 and many of us who live along the river regularly travel there. I, for one, drive there often to my favorite restaurant, the Thai Orchid for both eating in and take-out. Waterford is also a town that I have driven to many times. The annual Waterford Tugboat Roundup is a major draw for many of us who love living near the Hudson River, as is McGreivey’s Restaurant. Waterford is significantly located at the junction of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. One can begin a tour with the Erie Canal Boat Company at Waterford … the Erie Canal used to be located where the alley is at the back of my house in Watervliet! All of these communities along the Hudson also have a special interest in the health of the Hudson River water and its ecology. The point is, that the residents of the Hudson River communities in the Capital Region interact regularly, have many common interests, and are tied together geographically, as well as through major lines of transportation. Please consider restoring Waterford and Rensselaer to the 108th Assembly District. Many thanks, Lois E. Gundrum Watervliet, NY

Mary
January 24, 2023
To the Redistricting Committee My main concern is for Guilderland ,my town.My opinion is that the economy is closer with suburban areas not rural. Why am I stating this is because most of the workforce drives to urban jobs. Money is spent in Albany or in the surrounding suburbs. Personally , I rarely go to Schoharie, Fulton or Montgomery counties. I live close to Altamont which now has CDTA services that go towards Guilderland & Albany. Our education system is larger in Guilderland . I believe the economy stronger in Guilderland. For these reasons I believe with more suburban counties. Mary Hillmann 699 State Route 146 Altamont, N.Y. 12009

Johanna
January 24, 2023
I am a resident of Red Hook, NY (12571) and grew up in Rhinebeck, NY (12572). I was born in Kingston, NY. I oppose the moving of Red Hook and Rhinebeck out of the 103rd Assembly District. Our towns are deeply connected to Kingston socially and commercially and this connection should be preserved by keeping us in the 103rd.

Cathy
January 24, 2023
Thank you for the opportunity to submit commentary on the proposed assembly map. As the Co-Chair of the Cortland County Redistricting Committee I have lived with the challenges posed by redistricting according to the new regulations signed into law by Governor Hochul. Even with a small county redistricting isn't an easy task. On the county level, we must abide by the 5% and 40% requirements among others. I am surprised the assembly redistricting process isn't obligated to honor the 40% rule safeguarding the integrity of smaller districts. Frankly, I have found this rule to be most important to our smaller towns to ensure their voice as a community is not fractured. I will argue, in principle. this rule should also apply to small counties with respect to the redistricting process for state legislative seats. If the 40% were applied, i.e., any county having a population 40% or less of the mean population for any give district will remain intact, Cortland County would remain whole within an assembly district boundary line. The redistricting proposal under consideration not only continues to split Cortland but for some inexplicable reason, chooses to take a chunk out of its middle, adding it to the west, and assigns the top and bottom County portions to a proposed assembly district which extends from Baldwinsville to Bettsburg. Frankly, such a move looks like it was done to simply make the numbers work. Why bifurcate the County in such an odd manner? Given its smaller size, Cortland County in the context of the state of New York is a community of interest. I respectfully ask for reconsideration of the proposed map relative to its questionable treatment of Cortland County. Regards, Cathy Bischoff Cortland County Legislator District 3

Robyn
January 24, 2023
I am vehemently opposed to the new redistricting map as drawn for numerous and several reasons including the following: 1- As a town of approximately 37,000 people, it is not in our best interest to be represented by 2 Assembly Members. It does not allow us as a town to have consistency in dealing with one person who would have ALL of our interests at heart, and not just part of the town 2- Guilderland is a Democratic stronghold. Our area reflects mine, and many others point of view, and in fact, if the redistricting occurs, our views will not be properly represented as the surrounding areas are largely Conservative. 3-In looking at the map, is clearly an exercise in gerrymandering and NOT of the interests of the communities 4-In order for our town to be fully represented, it is imperative that we are represented as a whole, and not a partial or segmented Town. 5-We are currently part of an Urban/Suburban district in the Capital Region. We utilize many of the same community services, such as CDTA. The needs of the rural and agricultural districts surrounding us are quite different and do not represent what and who we are.. 6-We have no real common interests with the surrounding areas. Guilderland is a unique town in that there are some historical sites, Environmental concerns, The Albany Pine Bush and the Helderberg escarpment that is not present in these other areas. 7.Communities with similar interests, populations and demographics will fare better when represented with similar areas. Splitting a small town such as Guilderland does nothing but disenfranchise the town and it's residents. As a resident of Guilderland for well over 20 years, we have enjoyed the beauty of the countryside, the close proximity to the services that are offered as well as the Albany Pine Bush, the Helderbergs and the many other Historical features this town has. To separate what we as residents feel are important to be lumped in with rural communities who have much different needs does not serve either community well. Thank you- Robyn Gray robyn3201@gmail.com

Submissions

Public Comments Return to Archived Submissions Page