The feasibility of a ballot redistricting Initiative for New Rochelle

Anyone that looks at the district map of New Rochelle and has knowledge of the neighborhoods can clearly see that the map makes no sense. Neighborhoods that have the same issues and concerns are split in half and have different representatives. Many know why this was done however, with the passage of PROPOSITION 20 in California, maybe it’s time we take a look at it in New Rochelle. Prop 20 defines a “community of interest” as “a contiguous population which shares common social and economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation. It is intended for congressional redistricting but essentially removes elected representatives from the process of establishing congressional districts and transfers that authority to a recently-authorized 14-member redistricting commission comprised of Democrats, Republicans, and representatives of neither party. This is an idea that New Rochelle can certainly use. We will never get the elected officials to go along with it because it takes the power out of their hands which is why I am asking if we as New Rochellians should start a redistricting ballot initiative. I for one am willing to work night and day toward this goal.