Responding to pressure from the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, City Council today announced that they will conduct additional public hearings on how to redraw their district boundaries.
According to a press release, Council will hold two redistricting hearings in neighborhood locations in addition to an Aug. 16 hearing that had already scheduled in City Hall. The exact dates and locations of the extra hearings have not yet been set.
“Taken together, these three hearings are consistent with Council’s recently adopted resolution calling for hearings to provide an opportunity for public engagement and input with respect to redistricting,” states the press release.
In a letter sent to Council President Anna Verna Friday, Philadelphia NAACP President J. Whyatt Mondesire said that there should be five redistricting hearings held in neighborhoods around the city to give residents more access to the process.
"The Philadelphia public, therefore, deserves to be kept fully informed as to what new boundaries are being considered," Mondesire wrote. "Furthermore, the public should not have to make a special trip to City Hall to find out what these changes will mean for the neighborhoods where they reside."
Under the city charter, the 10 councilmanic districts must be redrawn every 10 years. Using census data, Council must make sure that each district has roughly 10 percent of the population - or 152,600 people, according to the latest count.
If Council doesn't complete the task within six months of the data being released, then its members go without pay, which happened in 1991 and 2001. That deadline is Sept. 9.
Council had already been criticized by good government groups for only scheduling one public hearing on redistricting.
Here's Council's press release on the hearings:
Redistricting Hearings
PHILADELPHIA, PA - City Council President Anna C. Verna today announced that, in addition to a redistricting hearing scheduled for August 16, there will be two additional hearings for the purpose of receiving public testimony concerning Councilmanic redistricting. The additional hearings are being scheduled in response to a request recently submitted by the NAACP Philadelphia Branch. The NAACP has a longstanding interest in redistricting nationwide.
The August 16 hearing will be held in City Council’s chambers, Room 400 City Hall, beginning at 10:30 a.m. The additional hearings will be held at locations outside of Center City Philadelphia, at times and locations to be announced shortly. Taken together, these three hearings are consistent with Council’s recently adopted resolution calling for hearings to provide an opportunity for public engagement and input with respect to redistricting.
Council President Verna noted that, in addition to the three hearings, the public will have a fourth opportunity to express their views once a bill proposing a new redistricting plan is introduced. Such a bill will likely be offered at Council’s September 8 session, and, as is the case with all bills, will be followed by a scheduled hearing at which members of the public will have a full opportunity to testify.
Persons wishing to testify in person at any of the hearings are asked to call 215-686-3407 and to leave a message with their name and telephone number. Written testimony may also be submitted at any time, and will be distributed to each Council member and made a part of the official record. Written testimony should be e-mailed to maranda.garcia@phila.gov or delivered to the Office of the Chief Clerk of Council in Room 402 City Hall.
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
Of course. You know who's running this city. John Street was right.— The_Unknown-Poster- Is there is the link to the proposed new districts? Thanks.— CleanupPhilly
- Actually, you missed why. Is they do not do it, all council people go without pay. I am sure this ordinance will change for the next census.
"If Council doesn't complete the task within six months of the data being released, then its members go without pay"— SlinkTMP - Will Marian "DROP Queen" Tasco be able to pull herself away from counting her $400,000+ DROP money to attend the hearings? Here you have a greedy pig at the trough abusing and perverting a program not designed for her and coming back and running for City Council President which means more money and power for this parasite. Will Jim -Vitetta-Blue Cross-Community College-Kenney find the time from his 5 jobs and come home from North Wildwood to attend? Will Bill Blowhard Green be there or at his new job at Duane Morris? Same thing with Brian O'Neill and his law firm. When will a reporter or columnist(Stu Bkyo) start to investigate and write about the City Council members who have outside employment? They get paid a full-time salary. We deserve a full-time effort.— Serpico
- Council should hold hearings in EACH OF THEIR DISTRICTS, so, all constituents can have a say in the re-drawing of their districts....DON'T THEY WORK FOR US !!!— Dadair1
- Furthermore, the public should not have to make a special trip to City Hall to find out what these changes will mean for the neighborhoods where they reside.
Why not? That segment of the population didn't seem to have a problem with getting down to city hall when there was a threat to cut all day kindergarten or continuation of free transpasses.
— The_Unknown-Poster - This is a farce— The Real Taxmann is BACK
- Why can't we get rid of these people?— French Fry
- Regardless of the spin that local pols give for redistricting, its only purpose is to solidify their political base and re-election chances for themselves.— Boru
- Boru has the most appropriate response to this. As long as redistricting is left in the hands of the people whose jobs may be eliminated, then nothing will change. The districts will look like Rorschach test blots. There will be absolutely no logig to the configuration of most districts because Jannie, Marion, Marie, and all the others need to protect their jobs. If anything, the City should be looking to downsize City Council, not just redraw and remain with the 17 members they have now, along with their useless support staffs.— jcc1960
- Council told the taxpayers to buzz off on DROP, anybody really think they care about your input on redistricting? You get the govt you deserve...and you lemmings in Philly will prove it again when you vote all these clowns back into office in November. Kepp pulling that big D lever and do what your union and the Black Clergy tell you to do, suckers.— jimmymack
- Comment removed.
- It's takes a special talent to call other people numbskulls and morons while not being able to spell.— H.L. Puttgrass
Follow Chris on Twitter
David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
Follow Dave on Twitter.
Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002 and has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. After covering the 2007 mayoral election, she moved over to the City Hall bureau where she has been reporting on the Nutter administration.
Follow Catherine on Twitter
Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans.
Follow Jan on Twitter
Share your tips
Catherine Luceyluceyc@phillynews.com
Chris Brennan
brennac@phillynews.com
Jan Ransom
Ransomj@phillynews.com
- Attytood
- Philly Gossip
- Philebrity
- Philadelphia Will Do
- Its Our City
- Heard in the Hall
- The Daily Examiner
- Phawker
- Suburban Guerilla
- Young Philly Politics
- OurPhiladelphia
- PoliticsPa
- The City Room
- Politico
- Drudge Report
- The Huffington Post
- Wonkette
- Eschaton
- Daily Kos
- Choose Judges on Merit
- Blogorrhea
- May
- April
- March
- February
- January
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- Budget
- Campaign News
- Casinos
- City Council
- City Hall
- DC
- Haikus
- Nutter
- Rendell
- Statehouse
- News | Sports | Business | What's Happening | Restaurants & Food | Entertainment | Living | Marketplace | Jobs
