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The first reports on California’s new census data focused on growth – Bakersfield adding more residents than Los Angeles – and demographics – the ongoing rise of the state’s Latino population, which is on a path to pass the white population in the next decade.
It’s all interesting. But what comes next is the real story.
The data will be used by the state’s newly formed redistricting commission to draw boundaries for legislative, congressional and Board of Equalization districts. In Sonoma County, new districts for the Board of Supervisors also are in the offing.
With the population shifting inland, the Bay Area stands to lose a congressional seat. It also may lose two or three legislative seats. In the old days, i.e. before the redistricting commission, Lynn Woolsey’s public contemplation of retirement would have made her district an obvious sacrifice. When I was in Los Angeles lo those many years ago, a City Council member’s district was collapsed and moved elsewhere on the day of his own funeral. Hey, politics ain’t beanbag, right?
We’ll have to wait and see how the commission handles it. But some back-of-the envelope math shows that Woolsey’s district is about 40,000 residents short of the target population for reapportioned districts. Expanding it to include all of Sonoma and Marin counties would put it about 36,000 residents over the target. Mike Thompson’s district, which stretches from the Oregon border to Sacramento’s suburbs, is within 1,000 of the target, though that’s no guarantee that it will go unchanged.
All of the legislative districts that include Sonoma County fall short of target populations, particularly Jared Huffman’s Assembly district and Mark Leno’s state Senate district. One possible scenario would have state Sen. Noreen Evans gaining more of Sonoma County, perhaps even Marin, with San Francisco losing one of its two state Senate seats.
– Jim Sweeney
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@ Mike who say following about our county Police, Fire, and Public Safety:
“…Their world is one of poverty, depression and hopelessness fueled by their believe that the union will save them.”
Wonder if Mike thinks he can live without these services? I do not think so! As soon as some fire or crime occurs, Mike will be the first to complain about the response of these hard working public union employees.
With the new census data, California will retain the same number of congressional seats as it had prior to this reapportionament — 53. And we will all be in one congressional district or another. So, I don’t see reason for consternation, unless it is that, as often happens during any reapportionment, lines can shift and one can find oneself suddenly being represented by someone else. In the case of Sonoma county, those of us currently represented by Lynn Woolsey could end up in Mike Thompson’s district — or vice versa. Would that prospect present much of a change? Not really. Both are Democrats who often vote on the same side on issues. Shifts in district lines could give or take edges away from incumbents, but again, here in Sonoma county, the Democrats are probably not biting their fingernails with worry.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the citizen’s reapportionment commission does its job. I have a lot more confidence in it than if the legislature were tasked with drawing the lines again.
It is too bad there are so many people living in Sonoma County who wake up every morning and can’t see over the tops of their shoes. Too many look for a handout instead self reliance.
Their world is one of poverty, depression and hopelessness fueled by their believe that the union will save them.
Well, the union long ago forgot all about their interests and is only interested in their interest which is power. Power to control politicans and power to control the poor devils who toil in the fields of the public sector.
Why is it that unions have been on a downward projectory for decades in this country? The exception has been in the public sector.
We are lead to believe by the propaganda espoused by the public sector unions that they face tyrannical tyrants and unspeakable working conditions if the union wasn’t there to protect these poor unfortunates.
That is a total falacy on the face of it. When has that ever been true? Public employees have enjoyed good steady jobs earning good money for years in this country. These public sector unions have the United States confused with Latin America or the old Soviet Union.
It is time the public sector employees moved into the 21st century and started to think like most of the private sector employees who have faith in our system and their own abilities. Daa, Winner!