Dear Friend:
Three weeks ago I sent out an e-mail with an urgent request to make your voice heard on the subject of redistricting Los Angeles County’s supervisorial district boundaries. About 150 of you took the time to attend the first public hearing on redistricting plans, held on September 6, and to date over 350 of you have written to the Board of Supervisors to express your thoughts on this most important subject. Together with others who share our point of view, we outnumbered the opposition speakers on September 6 by a ratio of 4:1! I can’t thank you enough for your support in this arcane and little-known matter that is nonetheless crucial for effective political representation in our part of LA County.
I’m writing today to request your support and active participation one last time. The second and final public hearing will be held on Tuesday, September 27 at 9:30 am in Room 381 of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 W. Temple Street in downtown Los Angeles, and will be followed immediately by a debate among the supervisors and a vote on the redistricting plans. As at the first hearing, your physical presence will have a huge impact on the outcome; and, unlike at the first hearing, if you attend and stay to the end you will hear one of the most momentous and meaningful political discussions of the decade.
Many of you juggled schedules and took precious time from your normal routine to be here last time, only to find that you had to leave before your name was called. Please know that we are making every effort to ensure that everyone who signed up to speak on September 6, but was unable to do so, will be called up to the microphone before any other members of the public. We’re also working hard to make sure that the process flows more smoothly this time and that creature comforts are taken care of (i.e. restrooms and water). Everyone who attends will have the opportunity to speak. So please bear with us!
If you spoke on September 6 and are unable to come again, please recruit another person or two from your organization to speak this time. If you or your organization have not spoken until now, please consider attending this one time. And if none of the above is possible, I would deeply appreciate a letter to the Board of Supervisors stating (or reiterating) your thoughts. By so doing, you not only influence the debate, you also add your voice to the public record that will stand us in good stead if the county is sued over its decision in this matter. Letters may be addressed to commserv@bos.lacounty.gov or by mail to Executive Office, Board of Supervisors, Room 383, Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles CA 90012.
In my August e-mail I laid out my rationale for my position. In brief: the County must redraw the Supervisorial District lines to equalize population after the 2010 Census. Two redistricting plans, known as S2 and T1, have been offered that would move nearly 40% of the County’s population from one District to another, and in so doing radically change the boundaries of our Third District While this does not affect me personally, since I cannot run for the Board of Supervisors again due to term limits, it will definitely affect the quality of our representation and could jeopardize the tremendous progress we’ve made in transportation, homelessness, land use and many other issues. Proponents of these plans say they’re needed to comply with the Federal Voting Rights Act, but the Federal Courts say that’s not the case in regions where non-minority voters regularly “cross over” to support minority-favored candidates – as we’ve experienced here with the elections of such Latino leaders as Antonio Villaraigosa and Sheriff Lee Baca.
Our Third District is a diverse and vibrant community, uniting the greater Westside, the San Fernando Valley, the Las Virgenes Region and the Santa Monica Mountains into a cohesive whole. Let’s keep it that way! I hope to see you on September 27. Thank you so much, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact my office at zev@bos.lacounty.gov.
Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, 3rd District