New York State Independent Redistricting Commission

Paul D
November 4, 2021
Dear Commissioners; I am living in Yonkers and part of NY CD 16 and would like to offer my comments on not accepting the redrawn bounties. I lived in Yonkers in the 70’s. I moved away first to Manhattan then to NH for 43 years. I have recently returned to Yonkers. I share that because the Yonkers I left and the Yonkers that I returned to is a very different place. In my past experience in Yonkers the city and surrounding area was in the kindest term possible was very racial divided. Emotions were strong and common sense was very poor. People could not buy or rent a home/apartment because of the color of their skin. Tensions were high and it took Federal Intervention to start changing the “Not in My Neighborhood “ fight and discrimination. The current climate in Yonkers has taken a Hugh turn around. It is my feeling that the inclusion of the North Bronx as well as other areas that brought more people of color into the CD 16 helped to finally build a more inclusive communities of mutual interest. The redistricting is not about an individual elected official. (Our current Member of Congress I can not say anything bad about. In fact, I think he’s done a wonderful job representing us of the 16th CD.) But about the mutual interest in the proposed CD. Because of that to decrease people of color from the currant CD is allowing the CD to perhaps turn away from the progress that has been made.

Caroline
November 4, 2021
Thank you very much for your work. I write as a member of NYCD16. What I understand is that the current proposal would split off the Bronx part into a different district and shift the rest of the district to the north. I see this as a real problem in terms of representation. Now CD16 today boasts a diverse, heterogeneous population. The current demographic breakdown of CD16 is 30% Black, 26% Latino, 5% Asian, 37% White/other. Arguably, our diversity is a plus: America is experiencing a transition towards being a multiracial democracy, and being in a diverse district means learning how to work in coalition and build bridges across divides rather than increase polarization. The proposed map reduces the Black proportion to 23%, Latino to 19%, keeps Asian at 5% and increases the white/other to 53%. Reducing minority representation in CD16 would almost certainly reinforce the historic tendency to favor wealthy, white areas and neglect others. It's important to keep communities of interest together, even though these communities may straddle county borders, so that their political influence is not diluted. Northern Bronx and lower Westchester have many shared interests, in things like public transport, affordable housing, need for spending on climate mitigation like flood protections, and environmental issues. For example, longstanding infrastructure defects in Mt. Vernon give rise to pollution of the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers in Westchester and the Bronx. Communities of interest need not be defined only by shared problems. Ethnic communities in the Northern Bronx and Westchester might be separated into different Congressional districts, despite having shared needs and connections. Caribbean immigrants who live in New Rochelle shop in the north central Bronx at local markets for foods from home. Jewish communities in northwest Bronx whose families have expanded north have strong connections to places like Yonkers and the Rivertowns. Thank you for your time. I hope that this email will help clarify my reasoning for making sure that a community that has learned together how to support each other will continue to have a strong voice with our electeds, no matter who they are. Best, Caroline Stern 62 Beechwood Terrace Yonkers, NY 10705

Ivanya
November 3, 2021
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Dear Commissioners, I am writing to you as a constituent of NY’s 17th Congressional District and also as a resident and former trustee in the Village of Piermont in Rockland County. I appreciate you taking the time to read and consider my comments regarding the redistricting process. Specifically, I would like to advocate that the Redistricting Committee consider the following: All of Rockland County should remain in one Congressional District. There are a number of issues which are unique to Rockland County, most notably transportation. Many residents who live here commute to work in New York City and Southern Westchester. Although there is public transportation connecting Rockland and Westchester (Hudson Link, Ossining-Tarrytown Ferry), it is inadequate for many of us for daily commuting. Congressman Jones has met with constituents in our County, and has been working with us to advocate for a 1-seat train across the Tappan Zee Bridge. He has also fought for more federal funding to address transportation issues in Rockland. I am concerned that if Rockland were separated into two different Congressional Districts, neither representative would actually champion this issue that is so critical to our residents. The Rivertowns on both sides of the Hudson River should remain in the same Congressional District. As communities located along the Hudson River, we share similar concerns about the health of our river and about flooding. Our Village government has worked collaboratively with Villages and Towns along the river in Westchester on sustainability initiatives, and we have shared information and planning in the face of hurricanes like Isaac and Sandy. There is a shared culture amongst these river villages, and our local businesses have worked together on tourism initiatives such as showcases of art and history on both sides of the river. The Tappan Zee Bridge Walking/ Biking Path has connected these River Villages even more closely, intertwining our economies, as thousands of people from both sides of the River spend weekends exploring the communities on both sides. Dividing the Rivertowns into two Congressional districts would decrease our ability to organize together on environmental issues, and also for our businesses to work together on funding for economic development partnerships. Thank you again for reading this and for allowing public feedback as you make these difficult decisions about redistricting. Sincerely, Ivanya L. Alpert Piermont, NY

Christopher
November 3, 2021
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On behalf of the Rye Brook Village Board, attached is a certified resolution opposing the proposed redistricting that would result in the Village of Rye Brook being removed from the Sound Shore District and dividing the Town of Rye into two Districts.

Christopher
November 3, 2021
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On behalf of the Rye Brook Village Board, attached is an certified resolution opposing the proposed redistricting that would result in Rye Brook being removed from the Sound Shore District and dividing the Town of Rye into two Districts.

Leslie
November 3, 2021
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Ian
November 3, 2021
The fact that literally no meetings are being held anywhere near Rochester, NY just shows how deeply disgusting redistricting is to begin with. It's clear you apparently don't want our input at all.

Reva
November 2, 2021
I want to thank the commission for giving me the time to testify: My name is Reva Faska. I am a member of the Jewish community of Central Queens. Currently, under the current maps, our community is divided between the 27th Assembly District and the 25th Assembly District. The neighborhoods of Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Electchester, and Hillcrest are divided. I am asking this commission to take into account the unification of Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Electchester, and Hillcrest so that Jewish representation is not diluted in this redistricting process. When this commission redraws the Assembly district lines, please incorporate all neighborhoods mentioned into one assembly district. The aforementioned neighborhoods in the south should be connected with College Point, Northern Whitestone, and Le Havre Cooperative in the north. Currently, the Jewish Community in Central Queens is split between 4 state senate districts. It does not allow for any conformity to representation in the State Senate. Your drafts have created a central Queens and Eastern Queens plan that incorporates parts of Kew Gardens Hills being split up again in three districts. Again, We need to be in one State Senate district. We are asking when you redraw your drafts that Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Electchester, and Hillcrest be drawn into a Central Queens district with the neighborhoods of Northern Forest Hills, Middle Village, Glendale, Maspeth, and Ridgewood. Also, Please consider the Eastern Queens map as well, where the neighborhoods I mentioned as a block be included with Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens, Little Neck Douglaston, Bayside, and Bay Terrace. Consider your guide eastward between the Long Island Expressway and the Grand Central Parkway to the County Line, before heading strictly north. Please make every effort to keep Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Electchester, and Hillcrest together in both an Assembly District as well as one State Senate district.

Joseph
November 2, 2021
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Nicholas
November 2, 2021
I live in the city of Glens Falls in Warren county. I have looked at both the letters and names maps the commission has come up with for the redistricting. Looking at the population changes in New York since the last census it is evident that counties outside the downstate area have for the most part seen declines in population. The exceptions being counties with the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany. Unfortunately many residents have left New York because of its burdensome taxes and regulations. This has caused New York to loose a Congressional seat and cause the current redistricting issues. I prefer the "names" plan over the "letters" in that it is more in line with our current lines. I suggest the Commission approve this plan as it protects minority rights of non-democrats. Many legislators have already been talking of drawing their own lines anyway and since they have the super majority and the governor's office. Warren county had no change in population statistically since 2010 so I think we deserve to continue to be in one Senatorial District with our northern neighbors and not severed for political convenience. The founding fathers established our country as a representative republic. The had vision and thus created the House and Senate. The Senate having 2 representatives per state. Our NY government is not a republican form as the Senate and Assembly are based on population. For our state to mirror the Federal system it would have to have county representation regardless of population, one Senator for each county. This would be the check needed from having a one sided downstate form of government. Unfortunately that ship has sailed, the legislature has voted in provisions for elections that were against the recommendations of the 2005 Commission on Election Reform. They removed the ability of criminal prosecution for illegally registering to vote and for illegally voting. They have given state ids to illegal immigrants and licenses. They have passed laws that require unsolicited voter registration through any NY government contact. They are doing nothing to ensure voter roles are accurate.

Samantha
November 1, 2021
The Capital Region counties of Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, Rensselaer, and Montgomery are inexplicably linked, so much so that there is a viral Facebook meme that I see every few months calling them “The five boroughs of upstate New York”. We are tied together economically and by dense transportation networks. We are geographically cohesive, and we deserve to be kept together in a Congressional map. It is crucial that we keep the current Congressional map, which includes the Capital District communities of interest as one district. Keeping these counties together with predictable, stable boundaries promotes good representation and governance, and allows our community to continue to grow. Changing congressional boundaries will group these counties together with those who have less similar economies, infrastructure, and interests than at present, in addition to generally severing communities of interest. Instead of dissecting the Capital Region and grouping those areas with areas of less shared interests, we should add residents needed for the new district by including towns that may share more in common with the current communities that make up the Capital District. This can be accomplished with small border expansions of the current district. To be candid, the cities of the Capital District are hubs of racial and ethnic diversity. As we work to dismantle historic systems designed to harm non-white communities, we will be doing the exact opposite by dissecting the Capital District and legislatively isolating them. The cities of the Capital District - Albany, Amsterdam, Rensselaer, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, and Troy are the right pillars for a congressional boundary. By keeping these boundaries intact, we continue to be able to grow and collaborate between our communities, as opposed to dividing and dissecting us.

Lars
November 1, 2021
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This is the handout presented by Lars Dahl at the Capital Region redistricting hearing.

Patricia
November 1, 2021
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On behalf of 12 organizations - The One Person One Vote Coalition

victor
November 1, 2021
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Please see the attached testimony I intend to present during today's hearing. Rev. Dr. Victor Collier

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