Astorino Vetoes Redistricting Plan
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino on Thursday vetoed the controversial redistricting plan approved last week by the Board of Legislators, expressing some of the same concerns voiced by the League of Women Voters.
Calling it “flawed” and “rushed,” Astorino said that in less than three weeks the board managed to introduce the new districts, hold public hearings and approve the plan that even the non-partisan League had criticized.
“Such quick action calls into question the ability for true public input,” Astorino said in a statement. “Note, too, that this 20-day period was in the midst of important religious holidays and spring break, further diluting the availability for full public participation.”
The redistricting plan was approved 12-5 along party lines by the Democratic-controlled board on May 9. Aside from the process, Astorino complained of what he called “wholesale and unnecessary changes” made to some legislative districts, including splitting the City of Peekskill into two districts and the Town of Harrison into three.
There has also been a brouhaha involving veteran Democratic Legislator Michael Kaplowitz (D-Somers). The residence of his would-be opponent, Yorktown Councilman Terrence Murphy, was cut out of District 4 by a few hundred yards and was placed in District 1, a seat held by fellow Republican John Testa. Kaplowitz has said that the boundary of his district makes sense because it mirrors that of the Yorktown and Lakeland school districts. Murphy has vowed to run against Kaplowitz in the fall.
Board Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) defended the redistricting plan, saying it was the product of open deliberations, bipartisan support and public input.
“In the end, the Board of Legislators adopted new district maps that are fair and hard to fault,” Jenkins said. “The fact that the re-districting was completed extremely close to the existing lines, with necessary changes the result of population shifts, was clearly understood by most Westchester residents, since less than a handful voiced an opinion otherwise.”
He said the League of Women Voters’ request to have the district lines drawn from scratch would have been too costly and time consuming.
Jenkins also took a swipe at Astorino, saying that his “regrettable abhorrence” for anything that the Democrats accomplish is predictable.
Astorino said there is no legal requirement for the board to adopt a redistricting plan this year based on last year’s census, saying it could have deliberated longer and adopted a plan for the 2013 election cycle.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/