NEW ROCHELLE NON-PARTISAN, INDEPENDENT GROUP FORMS AFTER MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL REFUSE TO GUARANTEE INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING PROCESS
March 21, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact Mark McLean 914.384.1895
Responding to the refusal of Mayor Noam Bramson and the New Rochelle City Council Democrat majority to establish an official, non-partisan, independent redistricting commission, an ad hoc, non-partisan, independent committee was established by concerned city residents today. Redistricting is required this year as a result of the latest US Census taken in 2010 under federal law.
“We want everyone in our city to feel that their interests and rights in the democratic process are being protected,” stated Mark McLean, chair of Concerned New Rochelle Citizens for Redistricting Committee (CNRCRC). Reflecting on abuses of redistricting procedures after the prior census a decade ago that divided communities and resulted in city council districts misshapen and unequal in population, McLean continued, “New Rochelleans hope and expect that this time it will be different. The mayor and council have promised an open and transparent process this time, but where is the proof of it?”
The City of New Rochelle is about to design a system of political input and popular representation that will control its fortunes for the next ten years. “City Hall must take seriously its obligations to residents of all backgrounds, ethnicities and locations. If the politicians will not protect the propriety and independence of the process, then it is up to the free and independent citizens to guarantee it!” stated McLean. “Our committee, the CNRCRC, was formed to insure that this be allowed to happen.”
“Our concern is that in the past, voters did not get to choose their politicians; the professional politicians themselves chose the electorate best-suited to re-electing themselves!” he claimed. “In the year 2011, the people of New Rochelle deserve better.” The committee has formed a steering council and has pledged to create an unaffiliated and independent legal research sub-committee to study all applicable laws concerning the redistricting process in the relatively short period of time available.
The CNRCRC is open to all lawful residents of the City of New Rochelle interested in furthering its non-partisan and independent mission.
CONCERNED NEW ROCHELLE CITIZENS FOR REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE Dorothy Oliver, John Robbins, Joyce Furfaro, Juanita Ward, Laraine Karl, Leonard Paduano, Martin Sanchez, Mark McLean, Stephen Mayo, Ronald Tocci