McGhee-Letter — original pdf
Backup
www.montopolis.org ∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆∇∆ On Aug 16, 2021, at 15:55, Calderon, Sara ‐ BC <BC‐Sara.Calderon@austintexas.gov> wrote: Hello please see attached (and below) for live and virtual event information, updates, as well as additional options for public feedback on redistricting from the ICRC. Thank you, ‐ Commissioner Sara Inés Calderón ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ PRESS RELEASE Aug. 16, 2021 For Immediate Release Sara Inés Calderón bc‐sara.calderon@austintexas.gov (512) 931‐1477 Camellia Falcon bc‐camellia.falcon@austintexas.gov Redistricting commission poised, ready for census data drop AUSTIN, TX (Aug. 16, 2021) – With the release of the new U.S. Census data Aug. 12, 2021, the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) has a strong team in place awaiting useable numbers and comments from the public to draw new city council boundaries for Austin residents. "It's going to be a least week or ten days before it's usable," said George Korbel, ICRC mapping specialist. "At least that's been my experience from the last several redistricting maps I've been involved in." Korbel is no stranger to redistricting. He was instrumental in challenging the fairness of at‐large elections in Texas in the '70s. He and the ICRC's legal counsel David Richards were part of the team that ligated the landmark case known as White v. Regester. The case, which made it all the way to the Supreme Court in 1973 and won, found the urban voting district in Dallas and Bexar County reduced Latino representation in the Texas House of Representatives. The case also expanded into other counties with large urban districts in the state including, Tarrant, Nueces, McLennan, Travis, Galveston, Jefferson, Lubbock and El Paso. 2 "(The case) set down the proof pattern for litigation in almost literally all redistricting that dealt with at‐large elections," Korbel said. Since then, Korbel and Richards have been involved in redistricting over 50 jurisdictions such as cities, counties and school districts. Most recently, they redistricted education institutional boundaries in Houston and for Lone Star College, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. In Austin, Korbel, who has attended all but one ICRC public forum, plans to use the public's input in his map making process. "They're giving suggestions as to what changes should be made, and when I get access to the data, we will determine what the population of each one of the current city districts will be," Korbel said. "Based on that information, we'll start making changes to the districts, but I really can't tell until I get a hold of the data." Four ICRC public forums remain and are open to the public. District 1's Saturday, Aug. 10, 2021, public forum is scheduled for 1 p.m. at George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, 1165 Angelina St., Austin, TX 78702. Two virtual options were added to the schedule at the end of August for all citizens to attend. (See full schedule below.) Find meeting agendas and District Worksheets in advance of meetings at https://www.austintexas.gov/cityclerk/boards commissions/meetings/116 1.htm. • Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, 6‐8 p.m., District 5 via Videoconferencing, Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN 3TZ4Ii3KQOmzO92w8p4Inw After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. • Saturday, Aug. 21, 10 a.m.‐noon, Virtual Public Forum No. 1 via Videoconferencing, Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN jyywSIEgSU6qJHMpJcg5hg After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. • Friday, Aug. 27, 11 a.m.‐1 p.m., Virtual Public Forum No. 2, via Videoconferencing, Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN FvRbBtg0QWirQxYWmBuTzA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. To submit feedback directly to the commission about redistricting visit SpeakUp Austin! at https://www.speakupaustin.org/city‐of‐austin‐redistricting. Scroll down to the "Event Feedback" tab and click on "Your Suggestions for Redistricting." After registering on the site, the public can take the survey and even upload a map or instructions for redistricting. This information will be gathered through October 2021 and used to help draw the new city district boundaries. 3 Another way to participate is to contact ICRC commissioners or leave feedback please email: icrc.commissioners@austintexas.gov or write to: Housing and Planning Department, Attn: ICRC, P.O. Box 1088, Austin, Texas 78767. Due to rapid changes in scheduling due to COVID restrictions, for the most up‐to‐date events information from the ICRC please refer to events pages: https://www.speakupaustin.org/city‐of‐austin‐redistricting/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/AustinRedistric/events/ Public input forums are recorded and made available after the meetings here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch‐atxn‐live. Past meetings and agendas can be viewed on the commission's website at www.austintexas.gov/cityclerk/boards commissions/meetings/116 1.htm Interpretation and/or translation services will be available free of charge by advance request in Spanish, Chinese or Vietnamese. Call 311 or email matthew.dugan@austintexas.gov to request these services 48 hours in advance of a forum. To find City Council Districts in Austin visit this link and type in an address: https://www.austintexas.gov/GIS/CouncilDistrictMap/ ICRC Information Commissioners are: Joshua Blank (District 8), Sara Inés Calderón (D2), Erin Dempsey (D10), Camellia Falcon (D7), Luis Gonzalez (D10, Vice‐Chair), Errol Hardin (D1), Shaina Kambo (D9), Prabhu Kannan (D5), Dr. Sterling Lands (D4), Hoang Le (D3), Brigham Morris (D3), Christina Puentes (D7, Chair), Eugene Schneider (D6) and Selina Yee (D1). The ICRC board will hold its weekly commission meeting via videoconferencing 6 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/98278207374?pwd=eEhDSFpzNjVlZWFXNGcyYWpOKzZvZz09 Meeting ID: 982 7820 7374 Passcode: iqY34Q One tap mobile +13017158592,,98278207374#,,,,*442998# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,98278207374#,,,,*442998# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) 4 +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 982 7820 7374 Passcode: 442998 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/azmXrvLGe Sara Calderon Boards and Commissions Scheduled Meeting Disclosure Information: Written disclosure is required by visitors when attending a scheduled meeting with a City Official regarding a municipal question for compensation on behalf of another person. Anyone scheduling or accepting a meeting invitation with a City Official must either acknowledge that the disclosure requirement does not apply or respond to the following survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BCVisitorLog IMPORTANT NOTICE: The City of Austin provides e-mail addresses for members of its boards and commissions for their use as board members. This address should not be used for private or personal messages. The views expressed in e-mail messages reflect the views of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any board or commission of which the author may be a member. In particular, the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the City of Austin, or any of its departments, employees or officials. E-mail messages may be subject to required public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act. <ICRC PR 7th Aug. 16, 2021 Mapping Specialist.docx> 5