Divide and dilute: Redistricting commission’s draft maps do no favors to Fresno
Question for the 14 individuals serving on California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission:
What did we do to make you so mad?
After taking a deep dive into the draft maps of congressional districts, Assembly districts and state Senate districts that could be in place for the next decade, it’s hard to reach any other conclusion.
If the aim of commission members was to increasingly divide the Fresno metro area and further dilute our region’s political sway, let me be the first to offer a hearty congratulations. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.
Taken as whole, the draft maps reek of gerrymandering — exactly what independent commissions are supposed to avoid — while nonsensically dividing communities of interest in some cases and lumping us together with competing interests (e.g. Bakersfield) in others.
Last fall, I raised a minor red flag upon discovering the Citizens Redistricting Commission didn’t include any members from Fresno, Madera, Merced, Tulare, Kings or Kern counties. (Eight of the 14 members were randomly selected from a list of qualified applicants.) Excluding the entire central and southern San Joaquin Valley from this all-important process.
Now, I realize I should have shouted at the top of my lungs. Especially after reading a Los Angeles Times report about the efforts of two commissioners from San Joaquin County to keep their region “whole” — at the expense of others.
Where to begin? Let’s start with the proposed congressional districts.
Currently, the Fresno-Clovis metro area is divided in two. Rep. Jim Costa represents southern and central Fresno, while Rep. Devin Nunes represents north Fresno and Clovis. (David Valadao’s heavily rural district doesn’t quite touch the Fresno city limits.)
Fairly straightforward, right? Not anymore. In the draft maps released for public consumption and comment on wedrawthelines.org, Fresno and Clovis would be divided into four congressional districts. You read that right: four.
I would love for members of the Citizens Redistricting Commission to explain what makes Fresno residents living west of Fruit Avenue (between Shaw and Olive avenues) so different from those east of Fruit. Or what makes residents east of Fruit and south of Dakota Avenue so different from those north of Dakota.
Fresno’s peculiar congressional boundaries
Those neighborhoods must be pretty distinct, right? Because there’s no other logical explanation for why the corner of Fruit and Dakota serves as the boundary for three congressional districts.
Unless, of course, the aim is to divide and dilute our voice.
Fruit and Dakota isn’t the only peculiar boundary line running through town. There’s also the one dividing the tippy top of northeast Fresno.
Neighborhoods south of Behymer Avenue (the line isn’t straight) would be included in the district political pundits are slotting for Rep. Kevin McCarthy. While those north, including Woodward Lake and Copper River, are lumped into a sprawling new district stretching all the way to Modesto and encompassing much of the Sierra Nevada. (Some pundits expect Nunes to run for this seat now that his current district leans Democratic.)
Are northeast Fresno residents better served by being divided into separate congressional districts? Or are politicians and a few influential donors better served? You tell me.
The commission’s draft maps for the California Assembly and Senate districts are similarly puzzling. Rather than Fresno and Clovis being split into two Assembly districts, there are now three.
Unlike our congressmen on opposite sides of the political aisle, Democratic Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula and Republican Jim Patterson actually work together (occasionally, at least) for the region’s common good.
The new map brings a third voice to the table. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, except many northwest Fresno residents (on both sides of Highway 99) will be represented in Sacramento by someone whose responsibilities stretch all the way to Merced County.
How far is drive to Markleeville?
Speaking of stretched responsibilities, Patterson’s territory would expand greatly. Instead of serving mainly Fresno County residents, his district would stretch north all the way to Calaveras and Alpine counties.
I wonder how long it will take for Patterson staffers to drive from his office near Fresno Street and Bullard Avenue to Markleeville. Particularly in the winter months — and don’t forget the tire cables.
As poorly drawn as the proposed congressional and Assembly districts are, the Senate district draft map takes the booby prize.
California has 40 Senate districts in a state of 40 million residents, meaning each state senator should represent roughly 1 million people.
With those parameters, what commission members accomplished really took some doing. They managed to draw most of Fresno (California’s fifth-largest city) into the same Senate district that encompasses most of Bakersfield (the ninth-largest).
If the commission had Fresno and Kern county representation, they might have known the two have virtually nothing in common. Fresno is economically driven by agriculture. Kern, by oil production. The two don’t mix well, and when they do Fresno generally gets the short end of the stick.
Ever wonder why half the water from the San Joaquin River is sent to Kern County? (Now the greedy bastards want Kings River water, too.) Or why 99 magically expands to six lanes when you reach Delano?
The Citizens Redistricting Commission will accept public comment on the draft maps through its Tuesday scheduled meeting, so it isn’t too late to voice complaints. We’ll see in a month if anyone actually listened.
