Public gives input on redistricting proposals

The Redistricting Committee heard testimony May 13 on five proposals that would draw new district boundaries for the state.

The Legislature is responsible for drawing governmental boundaries every 10 years after the decennial census for districts pertaining to the U.S. House of Representatives, Legislature, Nebraska Supreme Court, University of Nebraska Board of Regents, Public Service Commission and state Board of Education.

The committee’s actions are guided by the provisions of LR102, a resolution adopted by the Legislature April 8.

Among other criteria, the resolution requires that the Legislature:

• use population data and geographical information from the 2010 U.S. Census;
• not dilute the strength of any minority population;
• create districts that are substantially equal in population;
• not favor a political party or consider the political affiliation of registered voters; and
• follow county lines whenever practicable and follow traditional districting principles of compactness and contiguity.

Under the resolution, congressional districts are to be drawn with an overall population range of deviation of no more than 1 percent, with a goal of zero deviation. The remaining districts may be drawn with an overall range of deviation of no more than 10 percent.

The committee heard public testimony via videoconference from Alliance, Norfolk, North Platte, Scottsbluff and Omaha. Most comments focused on LB703, which would redraw legislative district boundaries, and LB704, which would redraw congressional boundary lines.

Several testifiers spoke in opposition to a change proposed by LB703 that would divide Box Butte County and the city of Alliance between District 43 and District 47. Box Butte currently is part of District 49, which would be moved to Sarpy County under the committee’s proposal.

Richard Schommer of Alliance expressed concern that the proposed boundary line runs directly through the city. He said the new boundary would reinforce existing divisions in Alliance and possibly create a greater sense of alienation from the political process among the area’s low-income residents.

“When they’re separated from the rest of the community, it’s a lot easier to ignore them,” Schommer said.

Ellsworth Sen. LeRoy Louden testified against the division of Alliance and Box Butte County called for in LB703.

Louden offered an alternative proposal, which he said was developed with Sen. John Harms of Scottsbluff. His proposal would keep Alliance intact and result in more compact districts, Louden said, while maintaining an overall deviation similar to the committee’s proposal.

Senators come and go, he said, but voters who live and work in legislative districts have a desire to retain communities of interest.

“The will of the people must be considered,” Louden said.

Howard Lamb of Anselmo also testified in opposition, calling the committee’s proposal “unnecessarily disruptive.” He said consideration of the demographics and geography of Nebraska should lead senators to endorse the proposal put forth by Louden and Harms.

He said the committee’s proposal violates two of the redistricting criteria outlined in LR102.

“Because it violates the community of interest over most of western Nebraska and because it unnecessarily crosses county lines,” Lamb said.

Mark Spurgin of Keith County testified in support of LB703, saying the proposal protects rural representation in the Legislature.

“It keeps the integrity of the panhandle … and maintains the panhandle values,” he said.

A second area of contention in the committee’s bills was a proposed change contained in LB704, which would switch the eastern portion of Sarpy County to Congressional District 1 and the western portion to Congressional District 2.

Peg Lippert of Papillion testified against LB704. She said shifting Offutt Air Force Base and the city of Bellevue from the 2nd to the 1st Congressional District would violate the redistricting principle of maintaining the core of existing districts.

“What does Offutt – or Bellevue for that matter – have in common with CD1?” Lippert asked.

Don Preister of Bellevue also opposed the proposed shift, saying Omaha, Bellevue and Offutt Air Force Base comprise the core of the current 2nd Congressional District.

“The businesses and workers have been interdependent for years,” Preister said.

Bob Twiss of western Sarpy County testified in support of LB704, saying the change outlined in the bill regarding Sarpy County was not a major issue.

“It really doesn’t make that much difference if it’s eastern or western,” he said.

Crete Mayor Roger Foster expressed a desire for his city to be placed in the 1st Congressional District. Crete is intermingled with Lancaster County and the city of Lincoln, he said, adding that the 1st Congressional District would be a better fit than the more western-oriented 3rd District.

“They would understand our needs more than CD3 would,” Foster said.

The committee’s proposal also includes the following bills, each with an overall population deviation of approximately 2 percent:

• LB700, which would change the boundaries of the Public Service Commission;
• LB701, which would change the boundaries for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents; and
• LB702, which would change the boundaries for state Board of Education.

A sixth bill proposed by the committee, LB699, which would change the boundaries for the Nebraska Supreme Court districts, was advanced to the full Legislature earlier and currently is on select file.