New York State Independent Redistricting Commission

Mark
January 16, 2022
Proposed congressional redistricting maps split towns and villages along the Sound shore in Westchester count. Please keep these communities in one district. We are trying to deal with many problems, not least of which is flood control, and requiring local leaders and citizens to lobby two representatives for federal aid from will double our work while diluting our impact. Please show Westchester more respect. (Your "Location" options in this form are telling: Staten Island is a separate choice but Westchester, which has twice as many residents, is not. I have no idea if my county is considered "Southern Tier," "Mid-Hudson" or what.)

Anne
January 16, 2022
The proposed Congressional maps split both the Village and Town of Mamaroneck into two pieces. . As a concerned resident of Westchester County, I urge you to propose district maps that maintain Westchester’s independent voice, not splitting it apart, diluted by surrounding areas of New York City. Ultimately, dividing Westchester County among three districts, instead of two, will fracture the attention of our reps and reduce the political clout of our county in D.C. The map also splits off 4 communities (Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Pelham and a sizable part of New Rochelle) into a district with the Bronx and Queens and separate from Westchester County. This is particularly unfair and unacceptable because it divides communities in three counties, limiting the ability of residents in each part of the district to have an elected official who can effectively represent their interests. It virtually ensures that the needs of the small Westchester portion of the district will not be met. Please redraw this portion of the maps to do the following: • Keep Larchmont/Mamaroneck together, including Town and Villages • Keep the Sound Shore together especially for environmental reasons • Keep our small Sound Shore communities separate from a huge NYC area where we will get little attention • Reduce the number of Westchester districts to 2 not 3

Nancy
January 16, 2022
Please work urgently to retain a single district for Mamaroneck and Larchmont in the restricting, the only sensible arrangement for representation what is a sinlge community in every way. Thank you.

Penny
January 15, 2022
I live in Southern Westchester . While I have admiration and in some cases sympathy for residents of NY boroughs our issues are not the same. Your plan to redistrict makes no sense . I enjoy the personal contact with Steve Otis and before him, George Latimer. They know the territory and represent us . So please do the job you were appointed to do.

Joan
January 15, 2022
Dear Members of the Independent Redistricting Commission and New York State Legislature: I am a concerned citizen of Westchester County who feels strongly that the state’s next Congressional District map should not join portions of Westchester to the Bronx and Queens. I do not believe that a single Representative can adequately represent the diverse interests of three counties in a conglomeration of urban New York City and suburban Westchester as drawn in Plans A and B for District 14. I understand that the task of map drawing has been difficult for the Commission and continues to be, but I do not want the Commission to dilute any Westchester votes in this manner, and for the next ten years. This same request was expressed by most speakers who were asked about it at the White Plains public hearing. Thank you. Joan Bowen

Louise
January 15, 2022
The Long Island Sound Shore communities in Westchester should be included in one district for the best representation. Our issues with flooding from Hurricane Ida are a case in point . Flooding has been a persistent problem for us and we need to work and coordinate Federal work and funds with our fellow Westchester communities - upstream as well as along the Sound.

Louise
January 15, 2022
View File
Larchmont and Mamaroneck's Congressional representation would be sorely handicapped by splitting our communities between CD 16 & 14. As I said in my testimony we consider ourselves as one community - including the Rye Neck part of the Village of Mamaroneck that lies in the Town of Rye. We are a cohesive community that has strong residential participation and caring for all our residents. We care strongly about environmental issues and Long Island Sound and its watershed that extends through Westchester to the Bronx River in White Plains and up to the Kensico Reservoir. We also share a lot of issues with our Westchester neighbors. The Counties of the Bronx and Queens have little in common with our suburban issues and it would be a disservice to all its future constituents in your proposed District 14. Please reconsider in drawing your new maps and do not split Larchmont, the Town of Mamaroneck and the Village of Mamaroneck into two

Ricki
January 15, 2022
I am a concerned citizen of Westchester County who feels strongly that the state’s next Congressional District map should not join portions of Westchester to the Bronx and Queens. I do not believe that a single Representative can adequately represent the diverse interests of three counties in a conglomeration of urban New York City and suburban Westchester as drawn in Plans A and B for District 14. I understand that the task of map drawing has been difficult for the Commission and continues to be, but I do not want the Commission to dilute any Westchester votes in this manner, and for the next ten years. This same request was expressed by most speakers who were asked about it at the White Plains public hearing. Thank you.

Theresa
January 15, 2022
Dear Members of the Independent Redistricting Commission and New York State Legislature: I am a concerned citizen of Westchester County who feels strongly that the state’s next Congressional District map should not join portions of Westchester to the Bronx and Queens. I do not believe that a single Representative can adequately represent the diverse interests of three counties in a conglomeration of urban New York City and suburban Westchester as drawn in Plans A and B for District 14. I understand that the task of map drawing has been difficult for the Commission and continues to be, but I do not want the Commission to dilute any Westchester votes in this manner, and for the next ten years. This same request was expressed by most speakers who were asked about it at the White Plains public hearing. Thank you. Theresa Sim

Sophie
January 15, 2022
Dear Members of the Independent Redistricting Commission and New York State Legislature: I am a concerned citizen of Westchester County who feels strongly that the state’s next Congressional District map should not join portions of Westchester to the Bronx and Queens. I do not believe that a single Representative can adequately represent the diverse interests of three counties in a conglomeration of urban New York City and suburban Westchester as drawn in Plans A and B for District 14. I understand that the task of map drawing has been difficult for the Commission and continues to be, but I do not want the Commission to dilute any Westchester votes in this manner, and for the next ten years. This same request was expressed by most speakers who were asked about it at the White Plains public hearing. Thank you. Sophie Kent

Elizabeth
January 15, 2022
I am a concerned citizen of Westchester County who feels strongly that the state’s next Congressional District map should not join portions of Westchester to the Bronx and Queens. I do not believe that a single Representative can adequately represent the diverse interests of three counties in a conglomeration of urban New York City and suburban Westchester as drawn in Plans A and B for District 14. I understand that the task of map drawing has been difficult for the Commission and continues to be, but I do not want the Commission to dilute any Westchester votes in this manner, and for the next ten years. This same request was expressed by most speakers who were asked about it at the White Plains public hearing. Elizabeth R. Rosenthal, MD Larchmont, NY

Laurie
January 15, 2022
To the Redistricting Committee, We have been residents in the Village of Mamaroneck for the past 37 1/2 years. We have lived in two homes in two distinct neighborhoods of the Village. Regardless of where we lived, we always felt part of the Village, which we see as a cohesive entity with a diverse population. It is this diversity of people that make the Village a more humane place to live. It is the ability of the constituents to elect, over the years, both Democrats and Republicans as Mayor, thus making this a functional Village, keeping representation more or less balanced over the years. Due to its geography, the Village has distinct needs, particularly in the realm of water management of its rivers and streams. Flood mitigation is a major area of concern. We respectfully request that you put strong efforts into keeping the Village of Mamaroneck as one district. Given the desire to have representation in the State that is clear and unambiguous, it does not make sense to split the Village into two districts with two different representatives. Thank you. Cordially, Fred and Laurie Bartels Village of Mamaroneck, Westchester County (This was also sent to our State representatives, Assemblyman Otis and Senator Mayer.)

FRANCES
January 15, 2022
I am a concerned citizen of Westchester County who feels strongly that the state’s next Congressional District map should not join portions of Westchester to the Bronx and Queens. I do not believe that a single Representative can adequately represent the diverse interests of three counties in a conglomeration of urban New York City and suburban Westchester as drawn in Plans A and B for District 14. I understand that the task of map drawing has been difficult for the Commission and continues to be, but I do not want the Commission to dilute any Westchester votes in this manner, and for the next ten years. This same request was expressed by most speakers who were asked about it at the White Plains public hearing. Thank you. Frances H. Snedeker 5008 Theall Rd Rye, NY 10580

Emily
January 14, 2022
Dear Members of the Independent Redistricting Commission: Now that the Commission has failed to propose a single set of maps endorsed by the requisite majority of its members, the New York State Legislature is likely to reject the Commission's first proposals. As a concerned resident of Westchester County, I urge you to recognize the importance of maintaining Westchester's independent voice and not having it split apart and diluted by surrounding areas of New York City. The City of New York is a unique urban center with an infrastructure of its own, like none other in the state, and a set of issues and concerns that are wholly distinct from suburban communities like Westchester. If the Commission is given the opportunity to propose a second set of maps, it should use that opportunity to unite areas of Westchester County. It appears that both maps under consideration would continue to artificially link portions of the north Bronx with portions of Westchester in one district, while drawing another district that would link Westchester with portions of both the Bronx and Queens. These maps are fundamentally flawed because they dilute the voice of both the suburban community in Westchester (and Putnam counties) and the New York City community in the Bronx and Queens. The district linking Westchester with both the Bronx and Queens is particularly unfair and unacceptable because it divides communities in three counties, limiting the ability of residents in each part of the district to have an elected official who can effectively represent their interests. During last year's public hearings, when residents of Westchester testified before the Independent Redistricting Commission, several were asked by Commissioners whether they would want a district connecting Westchester County to NYC. None said yes, yet the Commission still drew a Westchester and NYC district in both of its proposals. Rather than having District 14 be contained entirely in New York City and District 16 be the only district to cross the Westchester/Bronx border, as was proposed in the earlier Names and Letters draft plans, the Commission inexplicably decided to cross the county border twice. This decision divides communities throughout the region and would especially dilute the voice of the community of southern Westchester centered around Scarsdale and northern New Rochelle. This area has shared infrastructure and institutions, and both proposals would split this community into not two but three different Congressional Districts. When the lines were last redrawn, New Rochelle, Scarsdale and other parts of Westchester were joined with the Bronx. Now, ten years later, the Commission's proposals would further dilute Westchester's voice. I urge you to reassess. Thank you, Emily Pauley Resident of Pelham, NY

Marlowe
January 14, 2022
Dear Members of the Independent Redistricting Commission and New York State Legislature: I am a concerned citizen of Westchester County who feels strongly that the state’s next Congressional District map should not join portions of Westchester to the Bronx and Queens. I do not believe that a single Representative can adequately represent the diverse interests of three counties in a conglomeration of urban New York City and suburban Westchester as drawn in Plans A and B for District 14. I understand that the task of map drawing has been difficult for the Commission and continues to be, but I do not want the Commission to dilute any Westchester votes in this manner, and for the next ten years. This same request was expressed by most speakers who were asked about it at the White Plains public hearing. Thank you. Marlowe Burke Tarrytown, NY 10591

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