Nearly 150 people turned out for the Saturday, August 7, 2021 hearing of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) in Tucson — mostly suburban Republicans who vented their bile about Tucson.
The final day of the IRC’s listening tour continues today at 10 am at the Sheraton Hotel, 5151 E Grant Rd., Tucson, AZ 85712, and concludes Monday in Mesa. Anyone can attend and give three minutes of testimony.
TESTIFY!It’s easy to speak at a live IRC meeting or submit testimony online at https://irc.az.gov/survey. Simply give your community of interest (see below) a name, describe it in 150 words (1,000 characters), and explain why it should change or stay the same. |
“Tucson doesn’t like me and I don’t like Tucson,” said Nolan Reidhead of Oro Valley, the 1st Vice-Chair of the Pima County GOP. He is a failed congressional candidate and insisted that his “community of interest” does not include Tucson.
Republicans filled the right side of the ballroom at the Westin La Paloma Resort on Sunrise Road, mostly old white males who did not wear masks. Democrats, who sat on the left side of the room wore masks. Republicans applauded loudly when speakers like Connie Pellman of Oro Valley spoke, saying “I do not want to be in Tucson.”
IRC staff said that 59 people signed up to speak, the most on any date of the IRC tour. Democrats who spoke emphasized creating fair and competitive districts, following the state constitution, and respecting communities of interest.
The comments the public and can be found at https://irc.az.gov/contact-us/public-comments.
Republicans at the hearing griped about Tucson’s homeless population, its “lack of public safety,” the recent increase in water rates, its “different lifestyle,” and lack of conservative representatives.
It appears the GOP wants to create a claw-shaped super-Republican district that wraps around Tucson and includes Oro Valley, Marana, Picture Rocks, Tanque Verde, Vail, and Green Valley.
John “Bill” Maynard, chair of the LD11 GOP, testified in favor of an all-white, Republican district including Oro Valley, Marana, and Saddlebrook.
A woman from GOP-held LD11 said she did not want to be aligned with Tucson or Flagstaff. Alan Nichols of the Foothills said, “we want to stay out of Tucson and its pet social justice programs.”
A guy with a “Jesus Saves” belt buckle said he does not like Tucson. “We don’t want to defund law enforcement,” he said. “We want to give the cops a raise.”
“I escaped California. I don’t want to escape Arizona,” said Christine Emery of the Quail Creek retirement development in Sahuarita. She called for a pro-Second Amendment, conservative district.
What is a Community of Interest?Describe how your community is tied together around your neighbors, what they do for a living, housing in common, services in common, social or civic networks, parks, churches, neighborhood associations, environmental conditions, land use issues, transit, languages spoken, celebrations, traditions, or large employers. |
Any day now the US Census data will be released so that by September, the IRC can draw a rough “grid map” showing districts with equal population. The IRC will then develop draft maps in September and October. There will be a 30-day public comment period in October and November. The IRC plans to issue final maps by Christmas.
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It appears that Lynn and Maria stopped by to say this is a liberal blog.
Not to present an opposing point of view, based on facts, with citations.
Just to point out that liberals write on a liberal blog.
Noted, thank you.
Another slanted and opinionated article written by the left.
All these so-called “enclaves” would not exist without the Tucson economic and cultural, and infrastructure dominance. One of the right’s greatest myths is that their communities are somehow independent and self reliant. Everything is connected in Southern Arizona. “Communities of interest” too often mean creating stark old white enclaves, that do not demand working together. I wish these old white people ( I am old, but not white) would live their principles, giving up up their socialist, social security and Medicare, public streets, public police, and Federally subsidized water infrastructure, so they can live their “independent”, “unconnected” lives. They would squeal like stuck pigs if they did. Raging hypocrisy.
This article did little to “report on the meeting” as it claims to do. It did editorialize about the views of the political parties though. The “reporter” spins the truth more than a top on a gyroscope.
One of the ironies of the “community of interest” discussion is that political parties may actually be the most relevant community of interest but are excluded from being considered.