Guest Op/Ed: Time for Fair Districts in Manatee County

10 years ago I wrote a column suggesting the Manatee   County Commission and the School Board  task an independent ”Boundary Drawing Council“  to draw post - census identical  district boundaries for both the Commission and the School Board to make their districts compliant with ”one man - one vote“ statutory and constitutional requirements.
 
In 2001, I listed four reasons for doing this:
 
1). Citizens will have less reason to believe that district boundaries are being drawn for the benefit of incumbents, or any one person, when  boundaries are drawn by an independent board.
2). Citizens will more likely know the government district they live in and  take an interest in their government affairs when their School Board and Commission districts encompass the same geographic area. Right now few people can identify either the school district or the commission district where they live or their elected representatives.
3). An independent board recommending boundaries will likely produce boundaries more reflective of natural geographical boundaries and recognized divisional corridors than what we now have, or likely will see, if School Board members and Commissioners draw boundaries to suit their personal political interests. This, too, will facilitate people better knowing their residence area.“ (Presently we have district boundaries written to serve the political convenience of existing or prior office holders and not the voting convenience of Manatee residents.)
4). The biggest advantage for having recommended boundaries drawn by an independent board  will be that people will have more confidence in their School Board and their County Commission.
 
In 2001, I suggested that this independent ”Boundary Drawing Council“ consist of: 1) a representative appointed by the school board who is not affiliated with the school board;  2) a representative appointed by the county commission who is not affiliated with the county commission; and 3) the Supervisor of Elections, or a representative selected by the supervisor.
 
I believe the reasons for having identical independently drawn district lines for both the County Commission and School Board are as valid today as they were in 2001.
 
Florida statutes require the redistricting be completed and adopted before the end of 2011.  We have three months to complete the task. Time should not be wasted by the County Commission and School Board in selecting representatives to meet with the Supervisor of Elections or his designee, set deadlines, and schedule public hearings for boundary considerations.
 
The Elections Supervisor’s office staff has already provided population location and precinct boundary assistance to County Commission staff  for drawing tentative proposals, and I am sure elections staff would be willing to provide the same assistance to a ”Boundary Drawing Council“. Certainly the tentative proposals of County Commission staff should be discussed and considered in deciding what the ”Boundary Drawing Council“ recommends to School Board and County Commission for adoption of district boundary lines.
 
Manatee County voters last year supported  drawing ”Fair Districts“ boundaries for our legislators and congressmen. I believe most people also think that the time also has come for citizens to have Fair District political boundaries for our Commissioners and School board members that make sense and are not a source for cynicism about government institutions.
 
Manatee County deserves to have an independent ”Boundary Drawing Council“ that will provide identical County Commission and School Board ”Fair Districts“ proposals that are ratified by the School Board and County Commission before the year’s end.
 
Dave ”Watchdog“ Miner
Mr. Miner is a Bradenton Attorney
& Public Policy Activist
523 39TH Street West
Bradenton, FL 34205
941/748-8122