Redistricting Brooklyn. Parents Spent Sunday Fighting To Keep Communities Together
Like NYS, every ten years NYC is redistricted due to population. Below are the proposed NYC Council Districts:
In the early part of the Summer, the original map showed Bay Ridge in a district with Staten Island.
The Bay Ridge Democrats wrote to the redistricting committee and the map was changed. Bay Ridge was then put in Sunset Park’s – District 38. (Strangely, journalist, Jaime DeJesus didn’t mention that in his article.) This new map is trying to take representation away from Sunset Park.
We know redistricting will benefit politicians – not people.
We saw our senate district severely gerrymandered. Senator Andrew Gounardes was silent about his vote for a district favoring him – not Brooklyn.
Striping the waterfront from several neighborhoods for a Gounardes district was a sneaky move, as it removed power from poor neighborhoods like, Sunset Park. (See District 26 on Map) We also saw donations from millionaires to Gounardes. (Info)
This afternoon, Brooklynites showed up to Medger Evers College to speak out about their their communities. Parents were there to fight for good schools, their small businesses and safety in their community.
Asian voters don’t want to be pushed into District 38 with Aviles or with Brannan – they want their own leadership for District 43.
They brought a sign that said, “Asian Community Cohesion Matters – Brooklyn Asian Support the New D43.” Parent leader, Yiatin Chu gave testimony and told me that she supported the new D43 (that means it is good – she doesn’t settle).
Erik Frankel, whose running for NYC Council to represent Sunset Park, listened to the parents. He doesn’t want to continue to see Sunset Park losing and being taken of advantage of. Frankel supports the parents in the Asian Wave Alliance fighting against the status quo.
Parents asked that Bensonhurst be kept together. (See letter here)
Politicians were there to fight for their jobs.
Even Justin Brannan showed up to Medger Evers to speak. (See photo above) Parents didn’t enjoy Brannan’s pizza cut into slices analogy. They were there for answers and action – not political yadda yadda. Parents know the 8 to 1 matching funds and these new districts are going to cause a lot of drama in Brooklyn. I wonder why Brannan didn’t mention it on social media?
Strangely, former NYC Schools Commission, Dennis Walcott is in charge of the redistricting.
You can email your views : publictestimony@redistricting.nyc.gov
The maps are here: nyc.gov/districting
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Hugs,
marlene
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