Redistricting commission asking for input

A public hearing was held by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Committee last Wednesday via video conference at the Maricopa Unified School District offices.

The meeting was held in Casa Grande, but those who wished to attend in Maricopa could watch the hearing on a live video feed and ask the committee questions.

Only a handful of residents from Maricopa attended.

The redistricting commission was created by a voter proposition in 2000 to remove the power to draw congressional and state legislative districts from the state legislature and reassign it to an independent commission.

The reassignment of congressional and state legislative districts based on the 2010 U.S. Census is different from the redistricting of the county, in which two supervisor seats will be added due to the explosive growth of Pinal County over the last decade.

After a new state map is proposed, the public will again have the opportunity to make comments.

Residents in Casa Grande indicated they would like to see Pinal County included in one congressional district instead of it being divided from east to west by Districts 1 and 7,  represented by U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar (R-Flagstaff) and Raul Grijalva (D-Tucson) respectively.

Casa Grande residents said they are unhappy their city is split in half and their priorities are the “three Cs,” cattle, copper and cotton.

Mayor Anthony Smith, who spoke to the Maricopa audience at the beginning of the meeting, agreed that Pinal County should belong to one district.

The goals of the new mapping are equal representation based on population count and to create competitive districts, in which there will be a balance from the various ethnic groups and different political affiliations.

Those that want to submit an opinion may visit www.azredistricting.orgor call 602-542-5221.