2001 Public Hearing Transcripts
June 28, 2001
REAPPORTIONMENT COMMITTEE 7:00 P.M.
PRESIDING CHAIRMAN: Senator DeLuca
MEMBERS PRESENT:
SENATORS: Sullivan, Crisco, Cappiello
REPRESENTATIVES: Currey, O'Neill
SENATOR DELUCA: Good evening. I'd like to open this meeting for reapportionment by announcing first that Speaker Lyons and Republican Leader Ward are still in session in Hartford and will mostly likely not be joining us unless they get through in the next half hour or so and get down.
We have a number of people who are signed up and we will not be placing any time limitation, but we ask you to respect that other people may be following you so that you may be brief as you can in your remarks.
First, we'd like to call Sue Cable, the First Selectman of Beacon Falls who is our first to sign up. Is she here?
SUSAN CABLE: Hello.
SENATOR DELUCA: Good evening.
SUSAN CABLE: It's a pleasure to be here tonight with so many distinguished people, especially after a long journey that you've had with the budget. As mayor of my town, I'm very happy.
In the earnest of trying to be brief, I did put my comments down. I'd like to read them and if you would bear with me with that because I also represent my colleagues in the valley.
As you know, I am Susan Cable and I serve as the First Selectman of Beacon Falls. And I'm here this evening representing a bipartisan group of elected officials from the Naugatuck Valley.
That group includes Mayor Joan Taff of Naugatuck; Mayor Jim Della Volpe of Ansonia; Mayor Marc Garofalo of Derby, whose on his honeymoon, and First Selectman Scott Barton of Seymour. I am also submitting tonight a letter from First Selectman Scott Barton, which I will read into the record at the end of my testimony.
The Naugatuck Valley is composed of seven cities and towns abutting the Naugatuck River, including Naugatuck, Beacon Falls, Seymour, Oxford, Ansonia, Derby, and Shelton. The Valley is very much a community of interest.
We share and are part of the Council of Government of the Central Naugatuck Valley. We share the Valley Regional Planning Agency. We share the Valley Transit District, the Valley United Way, the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce and we share a hospital and not one, but two weekly newspapers, the Valley Gazette and the Valley Times.
Our families commute on Route 8. We share a proud history of long established high school athletic rivalries and now in the information age, our region is more connected than ever via the World Wide Web and a web site devoted to the interests of the Valley. We have created our own electronic valley.
Finally, the strength and unity of the Valley was recently nationally recognized and honored, as you honored us, as we were, together, named an All-American City.
I am here this evening then not only to describe the special pride we take in being residents of the Valley and am happy that one of our own, Senator Joseph Crisco, is on the Redistricting Committee, but it is important, furthermore, that during redistricting, our communities stay together.
The problems associated with redistricting should not be further compounded by dividing our community. I respectfully ask that the members of the Redistricting Committee keep the Naugatuck Valley together in one congressional district connected to the City of Waterbury.
The Naugatuck Valley has always had a special relationship with the City of Waterbury, Route, 8, the Naugatuck River, and the Valley Rail Line that connects the Valley to Waterbury.
The cities of Naugatuck and Waterbury are both part of the Central Naugatuck Valley Regional Planning Agency and also are joint members of the same Council of Governments.
In addition, the Waterbury newspaper, the Waterbury Republican American, has a wide readership in the Valley and it's Valley Bureau is now located in Naugatuck.
Naugatuck Valley Community College and the University of Connecticut, two institutions devoted to higher learning and educating our residents are both located in Waterbury. The Naugatuck Valley's special relationship with Waterbury dates back to the turn of the century as the Valley and Waterbury share the same industrial heritage of manufacturing brass, copper, and steel products.
Finally, Waterbury has served the Route 8 Interstate 84 connection as the gateway to the rest of the State of the Naugatuck Valley. And according to the Connecticut State Register and Manual, since 1911, six of the seven towns of the Valley, except for Shelton, have been with Waterbury in the same congressional district.
That tradition of 90 years and our special relationship with Waterbury should be preserved. For us to continue our success, we need to be linked together. Our ability to work together would be diminished if we needed to coordinate our efforts for federal grants, for education, economic development, transportation improvements, and brown field revitalization through two different members of Congress.
The cities and towns of the Valley and Waterbury have stayed together through disasters including fires, floods, and the pollution and recovery of the Naugatuck River. And we have emerged stronger than ever.
So I ask that the members of the Redistricting Committee honor the spirit of the Valley and keep our cities and towns together in one Congressional district, anchored with and by the City of Waterbury.
And I thank your for listening. I would also ask, before I submit all this, that you listen to the letter from my counterpart in Seymour.
"Dear Committee Members: It has come to my attention that your committee is meeting this Thursday, June 28, 2001 to solicit public input regarding the impending Connecticut Congressional Redistricting.
As you know, the Town of Seymour is located within the 5th Congressional District. The purpose of my letter is to encourage your committee to keep Seymour aligned in the same district as the other Valley towns. These include Shelton, Derby, Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Oxford, and Naugatuck.
The Valley region has enjoyed a positive working relationship for several decades. We consider ourselves more than just neighbors. We share common valleys and economic and community goals. This cordial relationship is represented in the various organizations for which we include the Valley Alliance for Economic Growth, the Valley Regional Planning Agency, the Naugatuck Valley Health District, among several others.
Recently, the seven Valley towns won the prestigious All-American City Award. Our cooperative relationship was an important factor in receiving this proud distinction.
It is also my intention to encourage your committee to continue the Congressional alignment for Seymour and the Valley with the City of Waterbury. Our proximity to the Route 8 corridor provides similar interests in the areas of economic and cultural development.
I firmly believe that our region's relationship would suffer irreparable harm in the event we belong to different Congressional districts.
Therefore, please include this letter as part of your important deliberations.
Thank you very much, Scott Barton, First Selectman of Seymour."
And I think both comments say it, the way we feel from our heart and I don't envy your job.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you, Sue. Any questions from any members? Any questions? Thank you very much.
SUSAN CABLE: Thank you for letting me testify.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you.
The next person is Rose Santana, Alderwoman. Good evening.
ROSE SANTANA: Good evening. It's a pleasure that the Committee is here today to acknowledge that we, as residents of New Haven, are here to make sure that we have a fair and equitable choice in the redistricting process, as well as you're making the decision, the final decision.
My name is Rose Santana and I represent and a number of our constituents are a diverse majority. We need to ensure that we have fair and equitable representation for all our residents. Everyone should have the opportunity to elect individuals that they feel with represent them in the makeup of the community in which they live in because that is a problem that we find in our elected officials.
Communities need to work together and we must give the minority voters a sense of pride in themselves and that their votes count and that their voices will be heard.
And that's all I'm here today to speak on behalf of New Haven. And I hope that the choices that will be made will be fair and equitable.
Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you. Any questions from any members? Thank you for coming, Rose.
ROSE SANTANA: You're welcome.
SEN. DELUCA: Our next speaker is Norman Primus, to be followed by Bill Parcell. Is Norman Primus here?
NORMAN PRIMUS: Yes, I am.
SEN. DELUCA: Good evening, sir.
NORMAN PRIMUS: Good evening. That was quick. If you can give me a moment just to put myself together, please.
SEN. DELUCA: Sure.
NORMAN PRIMUS: My name is Norman Primus and I reside in New London, Connecticut. I come before you for the purpose of assisting the people of Connecticut who seek open and fair elections.
I come to be of service to this committee in making this an open and fair districting process. I come to propose a method of districting that will serve all incumbents for all future elections.
In the past 27 years, I have striven to find, create, and achieve the goal of producing fair districting plans. I have succeeded and many of my plans have been accepted and praised for the openness and fairness of the resulting plans.
To demonstrate this to you and to the people of the State, I have prepared what I call a "districting kit". The kit contains virtually everything needed to complete districting plans for all three units of government that is required by your committee.
It has maps of Connecticut counties, towns, and its appropriate voting districts. It has population data, criteria, rules, instructions, suggestions, and forms for submitting plans.
This evening I am seeking people who believe that districting is the responsibility of our citizenry, people who will secure a kit and spend the time it takes to create the desired plans. In so doing, they can take pleasure in participating in a democratic process.
The Balanced Neutral Process, the name of this process, will audit and evaluate all plans received. It will then be determined which plan best meets the criteria and the rules. Those plans will be recommended to this committee for consideration and we trust, for their adoption.
I come also for the purpose of requesting public access to all of the data held by this committee. I come also to request that is this committee should elect to draw its own districting plans, that it make public the criteria, rules, and the manner in which plans were created.
There are additional matters that I should like to discuss with the committee. However, considering the fact that there are several more meetings and people waiting to talk, I will differ, at this time, and present them at a later date.
Just for a glance, I would like to show you the kit and its makeup. It has about ten pages of instructions. Then it has maps of every county's population, every county and its population, and then I have only been able to, with time running out on me, I was only able to make nine of the largest towns in the State into voting district maps so that someone could sit down, put this thing together and it takes, usually, about one hour for a novice to put a district together before it goes out. So the five districts for Congress takes about five hours.
If you have any further questions, I'd be very happy to share them with you and that's my testimony, sir.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you, Mr. Primus. Any questions from any members? Yes, Representative Currey.
REP. CURREY: You'll be leaving the package of information with the folks over here so that we can --
NORMAN PRIMUS: I'll leave you the comments I've made. Let me explain, please.
In asking individuals to join me, as a team, to draw these plans, is an opportunity for me, as the -- I've been doing consulting work and so on, to do this with the people who are interested in doing it.
I am asking them to sign the binder with me, an agreement with me, that they will produce the plans if I present them with a kit.
REP. CURREY: I see. Okay.
NORMAN PRIMUS: All the data that's in the kit, I think you already have. The criteria maybe different and perhaps at some time later, we might discuss that.
But that's the arrangement I want to make because there are a lot of people who like drawing maps like I do and are accustomed to dealing with it and some people don't like to add numbers, as many as there are. And it takes a lot of time, I must admit.
But it's certainly worthwhile. I've been doing it for 27 years and I'm still at it.
REP. CURREY: Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Further questions? Thank you, Mr. Primus.
NORMAN PRIMUS: Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Next is Bill Parcell to be followed by Carolyn Gabel.
WILLIAM PARCELL: Good evening. If you were expecting the former coach of the New England Giants or the New York Giants or the New England Patriots, I'm sorry to disappoint, but for you sports fans, I'm just back from the 17th green at the Greater Hartford Open and it seems like the leading score will be -8. It was holding.
My name is Bill Purcell and I'm the President of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, an organization that represents more than 650 businesses in the "All-American City", lower Naugatuck Valley Region of Connecticut.
With offices in Shelton, the Chamber has been in existence for 37 years, serving the businesses and communities of Ansonia, Derby, Beacon Falls, Seymour, Shelton, and Oxford.
I began my duties as president of the Chamber on April 17, 2000, Patriot's Day or Boston Marathon Day in my native State of Massachusetts, where, as you are well aware, politics has been elevated to an art form or at the very least, a contact sport.
I stand here this evening or sit here this evening as a proud citizen of Connecticut, having successfully relocated my family to this beautiful state last June.
I suppose if there were a few hundred thousand more of me, or people like me, this hearing wouldn't have such import that it does with respect to Congressional redistricting and the loss of a seat, a very valued seat.
So I am here this evening with a very simple message wearing my hat as President of the Chamber. Redistricting should keep the Valley together in the same Congressional District.
Throughout its history, the Valley has held together as an economic and a political unit. Long defined by the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers, that spawn the Valley's emergence as an industrial powerhouse, the Valley of today is increasing defined by the new and improved Route 8, thank you very much, a vital transportation corridor that is driving the economy of the 21st century.
In fact, in a recent assessment of the Valley, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, the following observation was made. If the Valley were a city, then Route 8 would be its Main Street. In a sizeable city, it is, indeed, certainly by Connecticut standards, the recent population census is revealing. In the period 1990 to the year 2000, population in the Valley grew from 124,000 to over 130,000, a 4.7% increase. That 130,000 compares with Waterbury's 107,000; New Haven, 123,000; and Bridgeport, 139,000.
So as a collection of communities, we are, indeed, a city to be reckoned with.
In many ways, I think the Valley is the poster child for regional cooperation in the State of Connecticut. As prior speakers have alluded to, it was last June that the Valley brought back the coveted All-American City designation, one of ten across the country, the only one in Connecticut, and one of two in New England and the only city that achieved that coveted recognition on a regional basis.
In fact, one of my favorite pieces is a nationally syndicated column by Neal Pierce who wrote an article that appeared in last June's Hartford Courant and was syndicated across the country in 36 metropolitan newspapers and the title of that article was, "Naugatuck Valley Towns are Models of Cooperation". So clearly, regionalism is sweeping the nation and this collection of communities, I think, is leading the nation on that score.
Let me leave you with a couple of examples. Prior speakers have talked about Council of Elected Officials, the fact that all CEO's are coming together with regularity to share information about their communities. The Alliance for Economic Growth coming together to recruit and retain industry. The Naugatuck Valley Economic Growth Initiative, which was recently announced by our Congressman, bringing $2.5 million in federal resources into our communities. The Valley Council of Health and Human Services, a collection of 80 social service agencies that are working in a collaborative way. And the Valley Arts Council which is promoting cultural attractions in all seven valley communities.
But perhaps the best expression of regional unity comes at a time of crisis. I know you all watched, with great interest, the tragic fire in Ansonia that caused the loss of a very valued employer in latex foam, but the Valley communities came together through mutual aid, a job fair that was held within days of the event, and a coordinated response from the social service agencies.
The Governor has been down to the Valley over the last several months and I think he summed it up well when he said this, "People don't truly understand that it means to come from the Valley." And he said and I quote, "It's about pride and loyalty, those are the hallmarks of being from the Valley."
This is very important to us at the Chamber. It's very important to our political leaders, and I hope you will take these comments very seriously.
Thank you for the time and your attention.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you, Mr. Purcell. I'm sorry my Massachusetts accent (inaudible)
WILLIAM PARCELL: Thank you, Senator.
SEN. DELUCA: Any questions from any members of the committee? Thank you, Mr. Purcell.
Carolyn Gabel to be followed by Americo Santiago.
CAROLYN GABEL: Good evening, Senator DeLuca and other members of the Reapportionment Commission of Connecticut.
My name is Carolyn Gabel and I'm the Executive Director of Democracy Works. Democracy Works is an advocacy center dedicated to making our democracy work more fairly, effectively, vibrantly, and inclusively.
The process of reapportionment goes to the heart of the principles of achieving fairness and equal representation in our democracy.
The redistricting process must work towards strengthening communities of interest to guarantee that all voices are fully represented. This process effects the basic civic act of self government.
We, at Democracy Works, have joined with the NAACP, the Latino Voting Rights Committee of Connecticut, the Urban League, the African American Affairs Commission, and the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission to form the Connecticut Partnership for Fair Redistricting, which is committed to an open and inclusive process.
We support the recommendations of this partnership which has three recommendations.
The first is that that Commission should form an advisory committee that has minority and community representation. We are disappointed that our commission has no minority representation.
Second, we urge that the Commission establish access to data, software, and map-drawing capabilities throughout the State in public offices or libraries.
And lastly, we urge the Commission to expand the number of public hearings to include other areas in the State such as New London, Danbury, Stamford, and Torrington to guarantee full participation of residents in all parts of the State in this important process.
Connecticut has had major shifts in our demographic data as indicated in the 2000 census that will impact the reapportionment process.
While Connecticut has only gained 3.6% in total population over the last decade, people of color now represent 23% of our population and we now have the highest, 5.7% of Puerto Ricans in the United States. We will lose one Congressional seat statewide. We are losing population in our major cities, but the percentage of people of color is growing and these communities should be reflected in the people who are elected to represent them.
These basic socio-economic changes will impact how power and money and resources are allocated and will shape how public policy decisions are made for the next decade.
In order to guarantee full representation, districts must be sensitive to race, ethnicity, race and ethnicity in conjunction with other factors of compactness, contiguity, and political subdivisions.
We are eager to learn what plans the Commission has to make sure that the public is educated about the reapportionment process and is fully engaged in making recommendations that will strengthen community participation.
We, at Democracy Works, are eager to work with you to ensure the fullest participation in this process.
Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you. Any questions from members of the Committee? Thank you, Carolyn.
Next is Americo Santiago to be followed by Werner - I hope I'm pronouncing your name right - Oyanadel.
Americo.
AMERICO SANTIAGO: Thank you. Good evening, honorable commission members, Senator DeLuca.
My name is Americo Santiago. I'm here representing the Connecticut Partnership for Fair Redistricting. We are group of state organizations dedicated to a fair redistricting process.
We would like for the Reapportionment Commission to give us the opportunity to work with you during this process to make sure our communities are taken seriously when the final redistricting plan is approved.
First, we want to make sure that Connecticut's redistricting ensures equal representation for all the residents of the State. Everyone should have an opportunity to vote for the person they feel represents them and their community.
Second, we must keep communities together so that we can give minority voters confidence that their vote counts, that their voice will be heard, and that the deck is not stacked against them.
Third, we should not turn back the clock to say to the days when minorities had no hope of electing someone who represented their views.
To provide greater public access to all aspects of the redistricting process, we strongly urge the Reapportionment Commission to consider these recommendations.
The Commission should post on line all relevant information about the process and download format such information that includes proposed districting plans, political and demographic data used by the Commission to create these plans, analysis of voter registration, election data, (inaudible) by the Commission experts, procedures for public submission of alternative plans and hearing transcripts.
In addition, public access terminals with census and other political data, should be established at the Commission's Office and other easily accessible locations across the State, such as libraries and state offices. This information should be accessible in English and in Spanish.
Develop and publish the criterias you plan to follow in the redistricting in terms that are accessible to the general public and language other than English, including informing the public in a timely manner of social relevant things as to any decision to change in the number of House, Senate, and Congressional districts and we know that we are losing a Congressional district, but we don't know if the Reapportionment Commission has any plans of reducing or increasing the number of State Senate and State House seats. And since the Constitution and the statutes allow you to do that, we would like to know if that's in the future plans.
Allow the public to submit their own proposed plan and develop a process for their serious consideration including for their wide dissemination.
I also would like to say that California, Texas, and several other states have provided extensive public access to data and Connecticut should follow their example.
I would like to just take a few minutes to talk about keeping communities together. The Supreme Court has recognized that race can be one of the factors considered in the drawing of district lines, together will all other redistricting criterias. This includes compactness and contiguous respecting political subdivisions with seven communities of interest and protecting incumbents and meeting political goals.
The courts specifically recognize the following factor and share community concerns. Common country of origin, cultural backgrounds, economic status, common median markets, shared community service and organizations, including health clinics, stores, public transportation, workplace and schools. Voting patterns and common language in other dialects.
We also want to make sure that all communities are adequately represented in all aspects of the redistricting process. Currently, the Reapportionment Commission has no people of color as members or as your staff. The Commission should create the subcommittee made of members of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus and community representatives to provide input to the Commission.
In conclusion, let me say that ten years ago I had the opportunity to work with the Reapportionment Commission to create a redistricting plan that tried to address the needs of all the different communities in Connecticut.
Today, we can do better. We all have talked about increase in population in the State of Connecticut, the loss of population in the urban centers, and the increase of numbers, the growth of Latino and African American communities in the State of Connecticut.
We have the technology and the know how to create a plan that truly represents the people of Connecticut, including these communities.
I thank you for your presence and for giving us the opportunity to raise these concerns.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you. Any questions, comments from members of the committee? Thank you both for coming.
AMERICO SANTIAGO: Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Next is Werner Oyanadel to be followed by Dick Eigen.
WERNER OYANADEL: Good evening.
SEN. DELUCA: Good evening.
WERNER OYANADEL: A nice pronunciation of my name. That was very close.
SEN. DELUCA: It was close?
WERNER OYANADEL: Yes, sir, very close.
SEN. DELUCA: I'm getting better.
WERNER OYANADEL: Good evening, Senator DeLuca and honorable members of the Reapportionment Commission of Connecticut.
My name is Werner Oyanadel, legislative analyst of the State of Connecticut Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission.
Our Executive Director, Fernando Betancourt, was unable to be here due to a scheduled conflict.
Today, I'm here to testify on the impact that the reapportionment of the State Assembly and Congressional districts will have on the Latino population of our State.
Our legislative mandate is to make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on issues that effect the Puerto Rican and the Latino population of our State.
As you are well aware, the Census 2000 results show that the Latino population of the State to be at 9.4% compared to 6.4% ten years ago, which means that out of 3,405,565 people, the Latino population is 320,323 strong. Of course, these numbers do not account for an undetermined under-count, but nevertheless, we know that the State's Latino population grew by over 32% during the past decade, making our population the largest and second fastest growing minority group in our State.
National estimates indicate that by the year 2050, Latinos will grow to an estimated 25% of the national population.
New Haven, for instance, has over 26,443 Latinos out of a total of 123,636, which represents 21.4% of the city's population.
They need to be ensured equal representation when the Reapportionment Committee begins the redistricting process in accordance with the Connecticut Constitution, Article 3, Section 6.1.
Furthermore, according to the Latino socio-economic study, prepared for the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, by the Center for Research and Public Policy last year, Connecticut's Latino population feel better about their quality of life. However, there are areas of great concern, such as the decline in access to health care coverage, high incidents in crime, problems of employment, poor education and attainment and substance abuse issues.
Despite this population growth, we have a small voice to tackling these previous mentioned problems. For the largest minority population in the State, are the General Assembly and Congress this decade, due to the lack of representation. As a matter of fact, there are only five Latino legislators from 151 Representative seats. No representation in the State Senate and no representation in our State Congressional delegation. Hence, I agree with the comments given to your committee by Dr. (inaudible) Rios, Director of the Puerto Rican Latin American Cultural Center for the University of Connecticut in his correspondence to this committee on June 27, 2001 that recommends, "that the Reapportionment Commission review the current population data and future population projections and the concept of equal representation for all of the citizens of the State."
This bipartisan Reapportionment Commission has been given a blueprint by the judicial system to respect racial minorities and other traditional redistricting principles.
Although the courts have not clearly identified the principles, they may include respecting communities of interest, drawing contiguous and reasonably compact districts, protecting incumbents, and maintaining partisan fairness.
The Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, therefore, respectfully recommends that this Commission make certain that in this redistricting process, equal representation is ensured for all citizens of the State and work to keep communities together in light of the mandates given to you by the judicial branch of government.
Thank you very much.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you, Werner. Questions or comments? Thank you, Werner.
WERNER OYANADEL: You're very welcome.
SEN. DELUCA: Next is Dick Eigen to be followed by Joel Fishman.
DICK EIGEN: Thank you. You got real close on mine too. I'm Dick Eigen. I'm Director of the Valley Regional Planning Agency and I was asked to talk about the fifth district and why it's important for the Valley to stay together and the fifth district to stay together.
I heard the end of Mr. Purcell's comments and I know he told you about Route 8 being the Main Street of our district, the Naugatuck River and the rail line as being the real spine of the fifth district and why that holds our district together.
I'd like to comment, being from the Regional Planning Agency, about our agency which is four towns, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, and Shelton. However, to show you the strength of the district, I'm coordinator of many other organization that go beyond our four towns and the reason they do is because the fifth district is such a cohesive district, that other towns join in projects with us larger than our agency and I've been in the Regional Planning Agency for 20 years and I can't think of other regional areas where districts have come together that go beyond the borders of the Regional Planning Agency to have a function performed.
We have a brownfields pilot in our district. There's eleven towns in that pilot that have joined from Thomaston through Shelton and Danbury has also joined as far as the Revolving Loan Fund.
We have the Valley Alliance for Economic Growth and I'm sure Mr. Purcell talked about seven towns in the district that have joined together for economic growth beyond the Regional Planning Area where most economic alliances are only in the Regional Planning Area.
Valley Council of Elected Officials, most, not all elected official bodies are only the towns, again, the Regional Planning Area as set out by the State. In our Regional Planning Area we've had Oxford, Beacon Falls, and Naugatuck join us. All seven majors meet together as an area to talk about common problems and participate in solutions for the seven towns.
So, that's why it's another reason I think it's important to keep the fifth district together.
Another organization I would tell you about was formed when Governor Weicker tried to split the State into six districts for social services. He split the Valley area. He split what would be splitting the fifth district, if you split the fifth district.
What happened was 60 social services agencies in the Valley came together to fight that and they fought it successfully and the Valley stayed together as a social service district and lobbied the Governor and his aides to change the line so that the Valley area could stay together.
Every month, those 60 agencies and I go to the meetings, Congressman Maloney has spoken at meetings. Senator Crisco has spoken at some of the meetings too. Those agencies meet together, 60 of them, I'd say at least 40 or 45 come to every meeting. We meet at the United Way once a month to talk about social services in the area and how we can combine to make it better and have less duplication in the social service sector.
So, again, don't split that up and when Governor Weicker tried to split that up, those agencies came together and lobbied and successfully fought that. So, please keep us together again.
One other thing that you just did is you formed the transportation strategy areas. The Valley could have been split. We could have been, some of us in the Waterbury, I-84 corridor. Some of us could have been in the I-95 corridor, but because I think we have such a strong cohesive district, you put us in both areas instead of splitting them.
We send now, the Valley Regional Planning Agency, which has the fewest towns in the State, not the smallest population, but the fewest towns, we have representatives that go to both districts because you wouldn't split us up, you kept us together as in the fifth district.
One other thing I would say that I think - and just stepping back from myself as a Regional Planning Director, but that I think is important throughout the country and the State, and why you should keep the fifth district together is that there are very few contested districts for Congress, or in the State, for that matter, in the country or in the State.
The fifth district is a contested district. The elections are close which means issues are discussed, things are debated, and I think that it's important for democracy to have contested districts and you have one. So I would say, don't break it up because it is one of the few, really in the country, that is a contested district.
And finally, I didn't really know. I was asked to come here on behalf of the fifth district, but I didn't really know you were talking about the State districts too, but just to add one thing about the State districts is when we need money from Finance, we go to Representative Belden and from Appropriations, we go to Senator Crisco. So keep them in our districts so we can keep asking them for more money. Don't split them up.
Thank you very much.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you, Mr. Eigen. Any questions or comments? Senator Sullivan.
SEN. SULLIVAN: I'm curious. When you say, "don't split" -- and give our greetings to Congressman Maloney. When you say, "don't split up the fifth district" and given the challenge we have to turn six districts into five, what would you propose that we do?
DICK EIGEN: You mean, how would I split the State up? I don't -- I didn't think of exactly what I would do except keeping the fifth district together. But I think you could take towns from districts that are uncontested and make those districts smaller and leave the contested districts alone.
I think it's important to have contested districts. So I don't know exactly what towns I would put in and out, but I think, as I said, for democracy, contested districts are important to bring up issues, which happen in the fifth district.
SEN. SULLIVAN: I take it you understand that we are primarily obligated to respect issues of population and with the obligation to reduce from six to five, the number of congressional districts the option of leaving any congressional district as it is, is not an option.
DICK EIGEN: Okay. What I'm just saying is the --
SEN. SULLIVAN: Not likely an option.
DICK EIGEN: So you think you would change all six districts, you mean? All six would have to be changed?
SEN. SULLIVAN: I'm just curious when you say, "don't split it up." Is it your position we should simply take the fifth and add some things to it?
DICK EIGEN: I think you should - now that I have -- I hadn't thought about that question, but now that you ask me the question, my opinion would be that there are two contested districts in Connecticut. I think you should keep them as much districts in districts as possible so they stay contested districts. And split the others so that those districts stay contested, even if you had to make those bigger.
SEN. SULLIVAN: Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Just to follow-up on what Senator Sullivan said, that means that of the five remaining districts that we will have, will each have to gain 150,000, approximately, population. And according to the federal government, we have to get it as close to within one person in each district as we can.
So you can't have, for instance, as you said, contested districts, smaller populations than others. You can't do that. You have to have them (the rest of the sentence not recorded)
DICK EIGEN: And to keep districts contested because I think that's important for democracy and it's happening less and less in the State and in the nation.
SEN. DELUCA: I think you made a valid point. You're right. Thank you.
Any other comments? Before you leave.
REP. O'NEILL: Once we start asking questions --
SEN. DELUCA: Representative O'Neill. Once we start, you're the one that started it.
DICK EIGEN: I know. I know.
REP. O'NEILL: And I don't know if you can speak on behalf of the other folks who came from various Valley organizations, but I'm just curious, you have connections and contacts with Shelton and Derby, Ansonia, Seymour, that's your specific group. Is that correct? Your organizations, those four towns?
DICK EIGEN: Well, there are many different groups that I talked about, but the Valley Council of Governments, Valley Council of Elected Officials is seven towns from Shelton through Naugatuck. Those seven towns up Route 8. The Valley Regional Planning Agency is four towns, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour and Shelton. The brownfields pilot, which I'm the coordinator of is eleven towns, Thomaston through Shelton, plus Danbury that just joined us.
So there are many organizations in the fifth district, was my point, that join together to do projects and I'm saying don't break those organizations up in different Congressional districts, if you can help it because them come together naturally to accomplish goals.
REP. O'NEILL: Because except for the part where you mentioned Danbury, no one else had mentioned anything to the western part of the district, which has basically two fairly distinct parts. There's the western part, which is centered around Danbury and an eastern part, which is centered in Waterbury and the Valley and so on and everyone has testified, including you, until just then, basically about things involving the Valley towns pretty much as a unit and not really stretching very far beyond the seven or eight towns that have been mentioned over and over again.
I mean, you don't have any contact, as far as I understand what you're saying, say with Ridgefield or Bethel or Brookfield or Redding or Wilton. Do you ever have any connection?
DICK EIGEN: No, except I live in Newton, but besides that, Danbury has joined our Brownfields Pilot because the saw the work we do and they had some sites that they wanted to get a Revolving Loan Fund for and we had done a Revolving Loan Fund.
So, they came together with us. Their city council and mayor voted in favor of coming together with the Valley to accomplish a goal which is to develop brownfields and we're together in trying to accomplish that goal and my point is that one of the reasons we're together is that Congressman Maloney, whoever the Congressman is in the fifth district, is very strong in advocating for brownfields money in Congress and he's gotten us that money.
So don't break us up.
REP. O'NEILL: So when did Danbury join?
DICK EIGEN: About a year ago.
REP. O'NEILL: Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Further comments? Yes, Senator Cappiello.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: Thank you. I don't know if this is on or not. You also mentioned Thomaston. Thomaston is in the sixth district.
DICK EIGEN: That's right.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: How long have they been involved in that organization?
DICK EIGEN: They are a member of the brownfields. They decided to join the brownfields pilot too. That's correct. They're in the sixth district and that's another Congressional district, I know that, but I put them as a town that joined with us to redevelop their brownfields like the (inaudible) Atwood site and different - and other sites in Thomaston. They came to us for money and we - the other towns voted to let them into our pilot project.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: And besides - putting aside the brownfields group, are you more concerned with the Valley towns staying together in the fifth district or - because it seems that most of the organizations that you mention deal with Valley towns?
DICK EIGEN: Yes.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: Is that more of a concern for you?
DICK EIGEN: Yes.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: Okay. Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you. Further questions or comments? Thank you, Mr. Eigen.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Next is Joelle Fishman to be followed by Hector Riollano. I'm getting better.
JOELLE FISHMAN: Good evening, Senator DeLuca and members of the committee.
My name is Joelle Fishman and I'm speaking tonight in my capacity as Chair of the Communist Party in Connecticut which has a long history of working to expand voter participation in the process in our State.
And I speak on behalf of the theme of a fair and inclusive process as you lay out your work. And I would like, in particular, to add my voice to the expressions of deep concern that no person of color was appointed to the Committee and therefore, the Committee isn't reflective of the population within the State and how to deal with that problem that you're faced with.
And so, I therefore would support the idea of an advisory committee being established. It's already been proposed this evening.
And I think in light of the national election that took place in 2000 and the events in Florida and the report that came out, I think last week, by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, which was detailing systematic exclusion for African American and Latino voters in Florida, I think throughout the country and certainly in our community, there's a heightened awareness, a heightened concern in really watching on this issue in terms of basic democratic rights for everyone.
So, I think we have to take that into account in the redistricting process here.
And also, the proposals of the Connecticut Partnership for Fair Redistricting and the Commission that was brought forward, I think are very positive and would go a long way toward addressing some of the concerns.
And that as a Commission, therefore paying special attention to making sure that district lines are not drawn in any such way as to deny or scatter minority representation.
And I wanted to say that this is not just a concern for African American and Puerto Rican and Latino residents of our State. It's a concern for all of us and I think if we look at the State Legislature, at the role of the Black and Hispanic Caucus within our Legislature, has just made such a tremendous contribution to our entire state on basic issues of health, education, and other economic and social concerns.
And so, we're dealing with what's best for the entire State of Connecticut when we take up this question.
And I just wanted to end by saying that those of us who have labored for many, many hours to register new voters and especially in the cities, and to open the voting process in order to strengthen our democracy, know that all the progress that we have made in Connecticut hangs in the balance with the work and decisions and process of your committee and we are counting on you for a fair and inclusive process.
Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you. Any questions or comments? Thank you for coming.
Next, Hector Riollano, to be followed by Iraida Crespo.
HECTOR RIOLLANO: My name is Hector Riollano. I'm from Waterbury and the President of the Hispanic Democratic Club of Waterbury.
I personally want to thank you for letting me be here tonight and share with you my views. So my point will be (inaudible) while you will hear from other Latinos, but I think I need to re-emphasize and repeat the same message to you because (inaudible) the same message.
We came a long way from Waterbury tonight. It's the first time we do this about our presentation. If you (inaudible) how the Latino population is growing in our State. For example, in Waterbury, we have 38% of the population is Latino now, a 65% increase from the last ten years ago.
If you look at our political spectrum in Waterbury, you will see that we have only one elected official in the rural location, only one Latino. We have only two Latinos in the Commission, one the Park Board and one on the Zoning Board. We are seeing that we can only control our destiny, our community. I did the same for other states. We are growing, we're increasing, but we come to the (inaudible) destiny, the Latino, we are in charge.
I (inaudible) already that the Supreme Court already defined that race could be a factor. Okay. (inaudible) background, culture background of a group in determining districts now.
What I am asking you tonight is to give us that opportunity that when you sit down and draw those lines, remember, that there is a population here of Latinos growing fast and we need to be in charge of our destiny.
We are not asking for any special treatment, we're not. We are just demanding our rights. We have a right to decide our future. We have many problems. We have made a lot of gains, education, housing, and employment, but we have a long way to go still.
And the best way, I'm not saying the only way, the best way to our people who speak our language and (inaudible) culture, who understand our problems to be able to sit down with us and define whether we need to help this population.
You have a long task, a big task, a difficult task, but remember, I'm asking and begging tonight that when you sit down, remember the Latinos here and we have no voice at this point. And we need to have that voice in order to define our future in this State.
Thank you very much.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you, sir. Any comments or questions? Thank you.
Next is Iraida Crespo to be followed by James Slaughter.
IRAIDA CRESPO: Good night, honorable commission members. My name is Iraida Crespo and I live in Waterbury.
I am a member of the Hispanic Democratic Club of Waterbury. And I am part of the Connecticut Fair Redistricting.
I came to this distance to be able to (inaudible) you know and (inaudible) my message and the message of my fellow sisters and brothers in Waterbury.
As you know, the last census showed a dramatic increase in the Latino population in the State of Connecticut. You will notice too that the Latino population in this state is not sharing the (inaudible) position in (inaudible). Take a careful look, for example, in Waterbury where the Latino population is 38% of the minority. (inaudible) and we have only two Latino in some of the local commissions.
You can change this by drawing political districts that will give us, the Latinos, fair opportunity to elect Latinos that will voice our needs.
I am asking this Committee to work closely with our groups throughout the State and give us the opportunity to share our opinion about how to change this unfair political situation.
We hope that the political division that you are going to recommend to the General Assembly will give Latinos fair opportunity.
Thank you and goodnight, honorable Commissioner members.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: Thank you. Are there any questions? Thank you very much.
Next is James Slaughter.
JAMES SLAUGHTER: Good evening, Senators, Representatives. My name is James Slaughter and I am the Executive Director of the African American Affairs Commission. And our Commission is also a participant in the Connecticut Partnership for Fair Redistricting.
I'm speaking on behalf of the African American Affairs Commission and our commissioners who believe that the redistricting reapportionment process is not only a constitutional mechanism, but a tool for equality and fairness.
One of the mandates of the legislation creating the African American Affairs Commission is to maintain a liaison between the African American community and government entities. We believe that this mandate commits this commission to be an advocate for African Americans through ensuring equal representation of all Americans. African Americans throughout Connecticut and throughout the United States have been committed to voting rights for over 100 years. We've lived through the Jim Crowe period, defacto segregation, and challenges to minority voting districts.
The principal issue for the AAAC is that everyone has the equal right to equal representation, voting access, and has the right to choose someone they believe will represent their best interests.
The creation of minority districts is not an artificial construct, but merely a reflection of a society, living patterns, and economic standards.
Certainly, we want to eliminate racial and economic isolation, but these solutions are long term goals. The immediate objective is to ensure equal representation, in our circumstance, equal representation for African Americans.
Connecticut has become increasingly diverse in the migration from cities to suburbs. Although some cities, such as Hartford, lost population from like 139,000 to 121,000, the surrounding suburban areas grew and their population became increasingly diverse.
The population in Connecticut of 3,400,565 in 2000 was an increase of 3.6% and the African American population of 309,843 or 9.1%, was a slight increase when you compare the trends between 1990 and 2000.
The shift of populations from urban centers to outer ring suburban areas and even to location that might be perceived as fringe ruled districts is important. In addition, economics effects migration and population shifts.
If we look at the period from 1996 to 1998, Connecticut's wealthiest and poorest grew markedly. Connecticut's top fifth percentile had $10,000 more income than its bottom did and these statistics emphasize the importance of voting rights and equal representation.
The migration patterns are important to understand the dynamics of population shifts in Connecticut. There must be consideration of a new paradigm regarding the makeup of population within a particular geographic area. We cannot make policy on traditional dynamics of inner-city areas representing minority populations and suburban/rural areas representing majority populations.
We must consider the ethnic makeup of a district to ensure equal representation and at this point, it's tantamount for ensuring fairness in the reapportionment redistricting process.
The African American Affairs Commission pledges its commitment to voting rights and equal representation and we recommend that the reapportionment redistricting process be open to receive comments from all Connecticut citizens.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify before the Commission.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: Thank you. Are there any questions? Thanks, James.
JAMES SLAUGHTER: Thank you.
SEN. CAPPIELLO: The next person is Hilda Santiago.
HILDA SANTIAGO: Good evening, members of the Committee. My name is Hilda Santiago and I live in the City of Meriden.
I'm a community activist and I'm also a member of the Latino Voting Rights Committee of Connecticut.
For the first time in seventy years, Connecticut will be losing a seat in the House of Representatives. The State's economy and its downturn in the early 1990's out-paces recovery at the end of the decade. According to the U.S. Census, figures show Connecticut cities like Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport and New Britain and Waterbury suffered the greatest population losses.
So it's an excellent idea that we are here tonight with this public forum to hear what the community has to say about the redistricting issue.
The purpose of redistricting is to ensure that equal representation is there for all Americans. That means that everyone should have an opportunity to vote for someone they feel represents them in their community. Voting rights for minority citizens are threatened when unfair voting districts (inaudible) to deny minorities a voice in government, divide their communities.
We should always lead with the goal - we should leave here tonight with the goal of achieving fairness and equal representation and reiterate the importance of keeping communities together. These are some of the messages that I bring forward.
One, is to describe the political reality. There always has been and always will be irregularly shaped districts, usually created to protect incumbents or to help one political party or another. The real question is not how it looks, but is it fair.
Does it mean that the needs of the community are being met? Does it provide equal representation for Americans?
Point two is with the social reality. We still live in a racially divided society. African Americans and Latinos face problems such as racial profiling by police, housing discrimination, and higher rates of poverty. Because we have not reached the goal of equality for all, it makes sense that African Americans and Latinos want representatives who come from their communities and who understand the racial barriers they face.
What we are asking the Commission is to look at the plans that the communities of interest are introducing at all these public hearings and give consideration to these plans. The Latino and African population is growing in the State of Connecticut. And I'm sure you've heard a lot of these statistics, so I'm not going to go into that.
And that growth indicates that we are a community of interest. We go to the same churches. We go to the same stores. We buy the same foods. We go to the same churches. I said that before. We participate in the same festivals, sports, and we go to the same schools.
We want to encourage that our communities are not divided, but kept together to address and elect candidates that will hear our issues that are important to us.
Thank you for hearing me tonight.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you. Any questions or comments from members of the committee?
Thank you for coming.
HILDA SANTIAGO: Thank you.
SEN. DELUCA: The next speaker is Lucia Gomez.
LUCIA GOMEZ: Good evening. It's Lucia Gomez. And I'm the (inaudible) participation coordinator for the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund in New York City. Thank you. Everybody makes that type of mistake, but I always love to correct them.
I am the (inaudible) participation program coordinator where I actually run the Latino Voting Rights Project, the Latino and Census Project, and the Latino Data Center. So I'm very happy to see that the Commission has taken into account the lovely census numbers and drawn these great maps for people to actually take a chance and have an opportunity to see where they actually are located.
For the past three decades, PRLDEF has been defending the rights of Latinos throughout the country. And during this round of redistricting, PRLDEF has chosen to concentrate its efforts in Connecticut, six other northeastern states and the State of Florida to organize and defend the rights of Latinos throughout this process.
In the 1990's round of redistricting, the Latino community of Connecticut, through both litigation efforts and community mobilizing, made positive changes to the legislative and local redistricting that took place.
During this round, PRLDEF, once again, will be monitoring the process to assure that these changes are not reversed and that the voting rights of the community are not violated.
As Connecticut just begins its process of public hearings and the release of possible proposed maps, some other states have ended either their first round of hearings or have actually already passed approved litigated and are using the new lines, States like New Jersey, Texas, and others. These are all very important examples to actually you'll be undertaking and need to have completed by September.
New Jersey, in fact, had about less than a month to have their proposals passed and they went through different rounds of litigation. And so I believe you have a sufficient amount of time to actually get the population involved, get the people to actually speak to what it is that they want and hopefully, not to have to enter into litigation.
One of the first things that PRLDEF recommends is that one, the redistricting process be open and transparent and I'm sure many have already indicated that. There are different ways of doing that. I have extreme amounts of examples and one of the ones that I would actually suggest is that public access terminals, either in libraries or in other locations, be actually made available to people, both with the data, census data that is always available on line, has to be processed in a fashion in which people can actually use and that the software in which the Commission will actually be using to draw these maps, be also made available and some informal, either through technical assistance in some public space, be provided so that people can actually have an opportunity to proposal maps or make changes to the maps that have, in fact, been proposed.
The Commission should also publish and from what I've been seeing, some of the criteria that was used in 1990 and some of the traditional criteria, as stated by United States law and other constitutional guidelines, I suggest that some form of Connecticut redistricting guidelines be actually published and they be published in both English and Spanish or another language that Connecticut may, in fact, need, that everyone has an opportunity to understand what they need to be looking for so they, in fact, do not propose plans that are totally not useful, both to the Commission or to anybody else, for that matter.
So I think they need to know what the criteria is and what criteria you'll be using in viewing these maps, as well.
Another round of public hearings should be held following the release of proposed maps to the public with a sufficient amount of time so that people have an opportunity to both view and evaluate the maps that you, in fact, have been proposing.
I also suggest that maps be published both in local and statewide newspapers so people have an chance to understand what it is that - what changes are actually being proposed.
We also highly recommend the Commission reconsider its current composition or choose to expand its current composition. The lack of diversity in the Commission does not assure the community or PRLDEF, for that matter, that the process will be fair and provide equal representation for all in the community.
We are well aware that your task is a difficult one. More dreadful is the thought of litigation, although. So we ask you to facilitate this process by assuring the people of Connecticut that once again, the voices are being heard, they truly have a role, and that, in fact, this process will assure the people of Connecticut that they are really being taken into account and that their rights, in no way, shape or form, will be violated.
So with that, I leave you and once again, if you require any examples or any further information, the Latino Voting Rights Committee of Connecticut is in direct contact with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund and they're there to assist you in any way, shape or form you may need.
Thank you very much.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you. Any questions or comments? Thank you.
Yes, Senator Sullivan.
SEN. SULLIVAN: I just - as long as we're doing this, I just wanted to also acknowledge that we are joined by one of our other legislative colleagues, Senator Toni Harp of New Haven is also here to listen this evening.
SEN. DELUCA: That was the last person who had signed up to speak. Is there anyone else here this evening who hadn't signed up who would like to comment?
NORMAN PRIMUS: May I?
SEN. DELUCA: Let me see if there is anyone else first, sir. Alright? And then I would be happy to let you get - anyone else that hadn't signed up and would care to speak? If not, Mr. Primus.
NORMAN PRIMUS: Members of the Committee, I have great empathy with the claims and the arguments made by all of the other people who have come to the microphone.
If you will notice, they all asked that you draw maps that are beneficial to their needs. I understand that. But you have four more meetings and you're going to have people coming and I assume the same people will ask the same thing that's been asked here, but additional ones. And I understand that you probably will have 180 some of your colleagues in the Legislature coming to you to instruct you or advise you or beg you to draw lines in favor of their interests.
While I am empathizing with these people, I also empathize with you, one percent more, because you can't do that. You cannot please all of the people all of the time.
I would suggest and this is a commercial, I would suggest that these individuals who feel they want to be represented in a district which is shaped in such a form that it is beneficial to them, that they secure a districting kit, draw a plan that they want.
And if that plan is sufficiently drawn to the criteria, then their plan might be selected.
I mean, that's the democratic process. I don't think the onus should be on you. It's impossible. You're going to be -- you're at fault no matter what you do because you're not going off scott free at all. And that's unfair because here you are, you're spending five nights listening to us. You're spending time pouring over all kinds of documents, dealing with staff, dealing with everybody pressuring you. You should not bother drawing the maps at all. If people want a districting plan that's beneficial to them, they should draw it.
I thank you very much.
SEN. DELUCA: Thank you, Mr. Primus.
And since no one else has mentioned that they would like to speak, I'll call this hearing to a close and thank you all for being here this evening.
(Whereupon, the public hearing was adjourned.)
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