More at the BARA coalition of LGBT groups is demanding changes to the proposed boundaries for San Francisco's two Assembly districts, warning the lines as currently drawn will dilute the community's voice in Sacramento.
The bipartisan group of LGBT agencies and political clubs is also asking the state's Citizens Redistricting Commission to give the city's sole Senate District it will have come 2012 an odd number so that openly gay state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) can seek a second term. Not only would he be barred from doing so until 2014 if the Senate District is given an even number, it would leave the vast majority of the city's LGBT community unrepresented by a lawmaker it voted for in the Legislature's upper house for two years.
"Please help make sure we keep San Francisco odd," said gay Treasure Island resident Owen Stephens at the Monday, June 27 hearing the redistricting commissioners held in San Francisco
Openly gay San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener, whose District 8 would be further split between the two proposed Assembly districts, also spoke in support of the letter sent in by the community groups. He also pressed for the Senate seat to be an odd numbered one.
"Otherwise two-thirds of my district will not be represented for two years," said Wiener. "For the last 20 years we have been able to win because the LGBT community of interest has been united."
Supervisor Malia Cohen, whose District 10 seat covers the city's southeastern neighborhoods and is also split between different legislative districts, echoed Wiener's comments to the panel..
Thursday, June 30, 2011
LGBT groups demand changes to SF Assembly district maps
From the Bay Area Reporter,
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