New York State Independent Redistricting Commission

Fior
November 19, 2021
View File
(Sending on behalf of Gail Muhammad) Greetings, Attached please find the responses to the questions posed to me by the Commission. Crown Heights North is requested to be made whole by supporting Unity Map #30 with amendments that include extending the Southern border to Lincoln Place. Our maps support our goal and the population falls within the allowable 5% overage. If additional information is required I may be contacted at muh707@aol.com or 518 956 1929. Regards, Gail Muhammad

Ronald
November 19, 2021
Once again the Rockaway communities are being divided so that their voices can be stilled. How many years can the needs of these communities go unfulfilled? Consider that the current Democratic Leader in the Senate, Senior Senator from NY was once our congressman, representing the Rockaways and promising a swimming pool in the park built by Robert Moses. We are still awaiting that park. In its place, we have received the highest density of senior citizens beds, disproportionate share of shelters and a diminution of health care services with the closing of Peninsula General Hospital. Funds appropriated for parks destroyed by Hurricane Sandy still remain unfinished a d the ability of residents to travel off the Peninsula is impeded by tolls and lack of high speed service. Don't further divide the area by creating artificial blocs of voters.. Keep the Peninsula communities as one bloc and let the people that live here sort out their difference and fight for a better community with solidarity.

Karen
November 19, 2021
I am a resident of Dutchess County since 1994. I'd like to give my observation on the letters vs. names maps for Congressional districts regarding Dutchess, Ulster, etc: The Names map deals with the Mid-Hudson valley much better than the Letters map. The division of Dutchess into northern and southern parts fits the nature of the county - the southern is part of the NYC exurban orbit and belongs with Putnam and upper Westchester. (The northern terminus of both the Hudson and Harlem Metro North lines are mid-county). The northern is more rural and belongs with the Capital district. The Letters map takes all of Dutchess and lumps it with areas south of it on the western side of the Hudson, and that makes no sense.

Mae
November 19, 2021
View File
Manhattan's Chinatown/Lower East Side is a community of interest. This community of interest must be kept entirely intact, in all districts, at all levels of government

Nicolette
November 19, 2021
I am writing to express support for the Letters plan for Congressional districts, State Assembly, and State Senate. We know that redistricting has huge implications, and the Letters plan makes intuitive sense and more accurately reflects how our community is dispersed. The Letters plan make more sense for our community and will better serve us in the years to come.

Assemblymember Dan
November 19, 2021
View File

Shraga
November 19, 2021
Redistricting testimony I want to thank the commission for giving me the time to testify: My name is __ I am a member of the Jewish community and reside in Far Rockaway, NY which geographically speaking is at the eastern tip of the Rockaway Peninsula and is immediately adjacent to the Jewish incorporated Villages of Lawrence and the hamlet of Inwood in Nassau county. Which both encompass the same communities of interest. Currently, under the current maps assembly maps, both communities of interest included in Far Rockaway & Bayswater are connected. The current senatorial districts are divided as this one Jewish community currently has two representatives. I am asking this commission to take into account the unification of Far Rockaway, Bayswater and the connecting communities of interest in the neighboring neighborhoods in Nassau County so that the unique interests of these communities are Jewish not diluted in this redistricting process. These communities of interest are currently mapped out within the Far Rockaway community Erev. An erev is an area within which observant Jews can carry or push objects on the Sabbath, without violating a Jewish law that prohibits carrying anything except within the home. There is one erev that connects Rockaway residents and the bordering Nassau county residents. The current boundary lines run from the Nassau county line west to Beach 32nd street and within Nassau county from the Nassau County line including Inwood and Lawrence. The erev crosses the Nassau expressway along Seagirt Blvd into Rock Hall Road east till Meadow lane which at that point turns North to Central Ave and the LIRR railroad stop. Both Far Rockaway and Nassau county have access with public transportation by utilizing the LIRR and the Nassau county N31 and N32 bus routes. This connection allows for many communities of interest from within Dar Rockaway to obtain employment within Nassau county as Far Rockaway has one of the highest unemployment rates within New York City and this can be a great opportunities to have the right representation focus on the transportation needs and employment needs of Rockaways residents. The Far Rockaway community stands firmly behind their incumbents of Assmeblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato and State Senator Joe Addabbo as they are very attentive to our needs. When this commission redraws the district lines, I ask that you please incorporate all neighborhoods mentioned into their assembly & senatorial districts. Currently, the Jewish Community in Far Rockaway & Bayswater are split between 2 state senate districts. It does not allow for any conformity to representation in the State Senate. Again, we need to be in one State Senate district. We are asking when you redraw your drafts that these communities of interest already connected by the Eruv be connected, while keeping the current elected officials Stacey Pheffer Amato & Joe Addabbo currently the representatives for the Far Rockaway community. The current congressional district combines both Rockaway jewish communites and parts of the neighboring Jewish communities in Nassau county. Please make every effort to keep these communities of interest unified. I want to thank the commission for their time in allowing my testimony.

Pesach
November 19, 2021
I want to thank the commission for giving me the time to testify: My name is Pesach Osina and reside in Far Rockaway, NY which geographically speaking is at the eastern tip of the Rockaway Peninsula and is immediately adjacent to the Jewish incorporated Villages of Lawrence and the hamlet of Inwood in Nassau county. Which both encompass the same communities of interest. Currently, under the current maps assembly maps, both communities of interest included in Far Rockaway & Bayswater are connected. The current senatorial districts are divided as this one Jewish community currently has two representatives. I am asking this commission to take into account the unification of Far Rockaway, Bayswater and the connecting communities of interest in the neighboring neighborhoods in Nassau County so that the unique interests of these communities are Jewish not diluted in this redistricting process. These communities of interest are currently mapped out within the Far Rockaway community Erev. An erev is an area within which observant Jews can carry or push objects on the Sabbath, without violating a Jewish law that prohibits carrying anything except within the home. There is one erev that connects Rockaway residents and the bordering Nassau county residents. The current boundary lines run from the Nassau county line west to Beach 32nd street and within Nassau county from the Nassau County line including Inwood and Lawrence. The erev crosses the Nassau expressway along Seagirt Blvd into Rock Hall Road east till Meadow lane which at that point turns North to Central Ave and the LIRR railroad stop. Both Far Rockaway and Nassau county have access with public transportation by utilizing the LIRR and the Nassau county N31 and N32 bus routes. This connection allows for many communities of interest from within Far Rockaway to obtain employment within Nassau county as Far Rockaway has one of the highest unemployment rates within New York City and this can be a great opportunities to have the right representation focus on the transportation needs and employment needs of Rockaways residents. The Far Rockaway community stands firmly behind their incumbents of Assmeblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato and State Senator Joe Addabbo as they are very attentive to our needs. When this commission redraws the district lines, I ask that you please incorporate all neighborhoods mentioned into their assembly & senatorial districts. Currently, the Jewish Community in Far Rockaway & Bayswater are split between 2 state senate districts. It does not allow for any conformity to representation in the State Senate. Again, we need to be in one State Senate district. We are asking when you redraw your drafts that these communities of interest already connected by the Eruv be connected, while keeping the current elected officials Stacey Pheffer Amato & Joe Addabbo currently the representatives for the Far Rockaway community. The current congressional district combines both Rockaway jewish communites and parts of the neighboring Jewish communities in Nassau county. Please make every effort to keep these communities of interest unified. I want to thank the commission for their time in allowing my testimony.

Richard
November 18, 2021
Redistricting testimony I want to thank the commission for giving me the time to testify: My name is Richard Altabe and I am a member of the Jewish community and reside in Far Rockaway, NY which geographically speaking is at the eastern tip of the Rockaway Peninsula and is immediately adjacent to the Jewish incorporated Villages of Lawrence and the hamlet of Inwood in Nassau county. Which both encompass the same communities of interest. Currently, under the current maps assembly maps, both communities of interest included in Far Rockaway & Bayswater are connected. The current senatorial districts are divided as this one Jewish community currently has two representatives. I am asking this commission to take into account the unification of Far Rockaway, Bayswater and the connecting communities of interest in the neighboring neighborhoods in Nassau County so that the unique interests of these communities are Jewish not diluted in this redistricting process. These communities of interest are currently mapped out within the Far Rockaway community Erev. An erev is an area within which observant Jews can carry or push objects on the Sabbath, without violating a Jewish law that prohibits carrying anything except within the home. There is one erev that connects Rockaway residents and the bordering Nassau county residents. The current boundary lines run from the Nassau county line west to Beach 32nd street and within Nassau county from the Nassau County line including Inwood and Lawrence. The erev crosses the Nassau expressway along Seagirt Blvd into Rock Hall Road east till Meadow lane which at that point turns North to Central Ave and the LIRR railroad stop. Both Far Rockaway and Nassau county have access with public transportation by utilizing the LIRR and the Nassau county N31 and N32 bus routes. This connection allows for many communities of interest from within Far Rockaway to obtain employment within Nassau county as Far Rockaway has one of the highest unemployment rates within New York City and this can be a great opportunities to have the right representation focus on the transportation needs and employment needs of Rockaways residents. The Far Rockaway community stands firmly behind their incumbents of Assmeblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato and State Senator Joe Addabbo as they are very attentive to our needs. When this commission redraws the district lines, I ask that you please incorporate all neighborhoods mentioned into their assembly & senatorial districts. Currently, the Jewish Community in Far Rockaway & Bayswater are split between 2 state senate districts. It does not allow for any conformity to representation in the State Senate. Again, we need to be in one State Senate district. We are asking when you redraw your drafts that these communities of interest already connected by the Eruv be connected, while keeping the current elected officials Stacey Pheffer Amato & Joe Addabbo currently the representatives for the Far Rockaway community. The current congressional district combines both Rockaway jewish communites and parts of the neighboring Jewish communities in Nassau county. Please make every effort to keep these communities of interest unified. I want to thank the commission for their time in allowing my testimony.

Rafi
November 18, 2021
View File

Steven
November 18, 2021
I submitted input yesterday but I wanted one additional thought to the Republican and Conservative commission members. I made suggestions related to geography in the Brooklyn areas of CD 11. I have no idea if those areas have a Republican and/or Conservative voter base…that is the duty of the commission assistant staff who have access to such data. I was rather passionate in hoping the commission maintains the predominant traditional conservative of Staten Island. This is your chance to effect that change…if that effort results in a gerrymandered shape in Brooklyn, so be it. Please keep our Conservative community ethos!

Shirley
November 18, 2021
View File
Attached you will find corrections to the statement I made at the Public Hearing along with additional comments. Thank you for your time and dedication. Respectfully submitted. Shirley Hamilton President of the Niagara Falls Branch of the NAACP

Shirley
November 18, 2021
View File
Attached you will find the correction of my statement at the Public Hearing along with additional comments. Thank you for your time and dedication. Shirley Hamilton - President Of the Niagara Falls Branch NAACP

Judith
November 18, 2021
I urge the Commission to come together and support one set of maps. By supporting the establishment of an independent redistricting commission in 2014, the voters of NYS made it clear that they do not want legislators drawing their own district lines. Don't let the voters down!

Gary
November 18, 2021
Dear Commissioners, Commissioner Flateau asked me about “Rye Beach” when I testified before the Commission in White Plains on November 8. I thought that I would take this opportunity to elaborate on its importance as an integral part of the interrelationship among the various communities of the “Sound Shore” and why the Village of Rye Brook should remain part of the Assembly District encompassing all of the other communities. Rye Town Park was created in 1908 by Act of the State Legislature. It encompasses 68 acres and includes substantial parkland as well as Rye Beach, sometimes also known as Oakland Beach. The Park is located physically in the City of Rye as a result of the City’s incorporation in 1942, wherein the former Village of Rye, then part of the Town, became independent from the Town. It is owned statutorily by both the City of Rye and the Town of Rye. The park is managed by the Rye Town Park Commission composed of the Supervisor of the Town of Rye, who acts as President of the Commission, and the Mayors of the Village of Rye Brook, the Village of Port Chester, and the City of Rye. There are two additional appointees, one from the Mayor of Rye City and the other from the Town Supervisor. The latter must by law represent the Rye Neck section of the Town of Rye which is located in the Village of Mamaroneck (most of which village is located in the Town of Mamaroneck). As the Commission must observe, this is one of the clearest indications of the interrelationship and interdependence between and among the various municipalities that comprise both the Town of Rye and the entire Sound Shore community. It is important that we have one voice in the assembly that is familiar with the issues, problems and opportunities of our area. The Village of Rye Brook must and should be part of this unified Assembly District. With kind regards, Gary J. Zuckerman, Esq. Supervisor, Town of Rye President, Rye Town Park Commission 222 Grace Church Street Port Chester, NY 10573 (914)939-3553

Submissions

Public Comments Return to Archived Submissions Page