PEORIA -- The Illinois Senate committee overseeing redistricting of the General Assembly and Congressional districts took public comments in Peoria on April 16. The event attracted about 50 people and some interesting comments.
Roberta Parks, president of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, led by echoing the Illinois League of Women Voters language for its failed Fair Map Amendment, calling for transparency and intact geographic boundaries.
But then, she added comments about the "business climate" in Illinois (code for 'we want lower taxes'), and said "how we redraw the map will send a strong signal about confidence in government."
Hummm -- does that mean giving Republicans and other low-tax advocates a better shot at winning elections with maps favorable for them?
Union advocates at the meeting took the opposite approach. John Shallenberger of the United Auto Workers said Peoria now has two representatives and two senators, split between the political parties. (They have safe seats, due to the way the districts are drawn/gerrymandered.)
"The system we have today works well. We prefer to keep it. That way you have access to everyone, he said.
Dave Chapman president of Local 974 of the UAW, with 24,000 workers and retirees, said: "I can call any representative and get a quick response," and slyly contrasted that situation with "the federal level." (Apparently his calls to Cong. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, are not as eagerly returned.)
Susan O'Neal, a Decatur attorney, said that city of less than 90,000 people is split into three Congressional districts and two districts for the Illinois House and Senate. "No one knows who their representative is," she said.
Her disabled clients are especially disadvantaged, she said. "My people don't have the Internet," and may not be able to make a phone call due to the confusion. "I don't think they get good representation."
The Illinois Senators acknowledged that there are several cities and towns, some quite small, split into several districts.
James Polk of the Illinois Central College Board and 18th District Democratic Central Committeeman, warned the committee that using a computer model to draw the lines may not work."There are traditions, cultures, a way of life," that make minority communities different, he said.
Peoria activist General Parker said Peoria is 30 percent black with a school district that is around 65 percent black, yet black representatives don't meet those percentages. "We need people who will advocate for us and be sensitive to the needs of ethnicity," he said.
Illinois Sen. Kwame Raoul, who chairs the committee, responded that the Iowa computerized plan will not work in Illinois because Iowa is not subject to the federal Voting Rights Act. It protects minorities by keeping them together as a voting block. "We have diversity," he said.
In addition the recently passed Illinois Voting Rights Act requires that other, smaller minority groups be kept together. It was passed for Chinatown in Chicago, he said, which had been split into several districts."They couldn't hold anybody acccountable," he said.
Steve Adams, a Local 974 retiree, said more meetings will be needed after the maps are drawn.
Illinois Sen. Darrin LaHood pressed for a date when the new maps will be released for comment. But Raoul said he didn't know when that would take place, since both the House and Senate will be drawing them, and they will become legislation to be passed.
Raoul said meetings on the maps likely will be in Chicago and Springfield. Meanwhile, "we need information prior to drawing the maps."
Illinois Sen. Dave Koehler said," we will have hearings once the (map) is done."
The Illinois House and Senate have released websites with redistricting information.
The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn at the end of May.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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