Partisan politics have become bitter and divided. This isn’t evident in only Washington but also on a state level. What’s a good way to work toward ending partisan politics in New York state?

It’s simple: establish an Independent Redistricting Committee.

Redistricting corruption has plagued the state for years. Currently, New York law has a legislative task force that carves out electoral districts that give easy victories to various party members. The districts do not represent what the voters want. An example is in Central New York, where senatorial districts 49 and 50 cut Syracuse and its immediate surrounding areas in half.

Fortunately, Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced the Redistricting Reform Act of 2011, which proposes that an Independent Redistricting Commission is made to permanently reform the way electoral districts are drawn in New York. This includes for the panel to hold public hearings across the state, as well as to post the redistricting plans on the Internet. I hope the Redistricting Reform Act is passed because this could be a step down a long path that would solve many of New York’s corruption problems in the future.

On top of that, if a permanent reform of the redistricting process isn’t reached in time for the 2012 elections, Cuomo has promised he will veto anything the current legislative task force has drawn up.

I personally applaud the governor and will be supporting him every step of the way in his reform efforts.

Rebecca Weiss

Senior in the College of Arts and Sciences

Member of the Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry chapter of the New York State Public Interest Group

 

Published on February 27, 2011 at 12:00 pm