Common Cause redraws district lines

Common Cause/New York officially kicked off map-making season on Monday, releasing what it believes to be “fair, non politicized” district lines for the state.

If Common Cause had its way, the seat currently held by Rep. Eliot Engel would be pushed out of the Bronx completely; Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz’s current seat would lose parts of the Bronx while gaining a chunk of Manhattan; and Riverdale would become part of a congressional district with a Hispanic majority voting population.

Citizens Redistricting Committee is an organization created by Common Cause/New York, a non-profit, nonpartisan, citizens’ lobby. The organization aims to improve the redistricting process in New York and promote fairness when the lines are ultimately redrawn.

A legislative task force is currently in the process of coming up with new lines for Senate, Assembly and Congressional districts. Those lines are expected be released soon and will be followed by a public review process.

Currently, the 11 Assembly districts representing the Bronx are all entirely within the Bronx. Common Cause proposes having 12 Assembly districts in the Bronx, though four of those would cross county lines, two into Westchester and two Manhattan. 

Mr. Dinowitz is not too keen on the idea of Bronx Assembly districts crossing over into Manhattan and Westchester.

Mr. Dinowitz said he think this would dilute the political power of the Bronx.

Assembly seat 81, currently held by Mr. Dinowitz, would lose Norwood and Wakefield in the Bronx and gain Inwood and Marble Hill in Manhattan. Common Cause says that it keeps the prominent black communities of Wakefield and Williamsbridge together with Mount Vernon. In many instances, Common Cause cites the increase in the Bronx’s Hispanic population as the reason for its lines.

Common Cause reviewed public testimony given to the legislative task force, studied Census demographics, including the racial and ethnic makeup of neighborhoods, as well as socio-economic factors, to come up with its maps.

Mr. Dinowitz said he thinks the proposals put race ahead of neighborhoods.