reconfigured Nassau, a united Baldwin Dems release new district map; GOP says lines are unfair

      The proposed lines come after weeks of squabbling among legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, and the failure of the 10-member Temporary Districting Advisory Commission to produce a bipartisan plan. The legislature must redraw its lines every 10 years following the release of census data, and the new proposal is likely to be approved by the Democratic majority on Feb. 24 at the next full legislative meeting.
       Republicans argue that Republican legislators on the committee weren't given census data and other information used by the Democrats to craft their new district lines. Last Thursday, Republicans appealed to a federal court to block the Rules Committee from voting on the new map on Feb. 14. A federal court judge said that the Democrats had to turn the data over, and the Rules Committee reconvened on Saturday, Feb. 15, after releasing the data. The committee voted 5-4 along party lines to bring the redistricting plan before the full Legislature on Feb. 24.      
      "We told the court that we reserve the right to come back if the information is incorrect," said Ed Ward, a spokesperson for Legis. Peter Schmitt, who added that if the Democratic data is determined to be inaccurate, another attempt would be made to delay the vote.
      The Republicans' proposed map contained only minor tweaking of the lines. Under the Democrats' plan, there will be seven "solid" Democrat-leaning districts, as opposed to the current four.
      "They want to ram this map through," said Ward.
      Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) countered that the Democrats' map is "fair and equitable," and added that the Democrat plan does not eliminate any Republican seats by combining districts.

Local impact
      The Democrats' proposal would greatly impact Baldwin, by uniting the district under one legislator instead of three. For years, community groups have pushed for a unified district, arguing that the community's political voice has been weakened by being divided among 13 representatives on the county, state and federal levels.
      "By having the district broken up, it dilutes your strength and people don't know where to go," said Legis. Joseph Scannell (D-Baldwin). "My goal in this process was to ensure Baldwin has a voice for 10 years to come."
      Members of the community who worked for a unified district said they were pleased with the proposed Baldwin lines. "We wanted all of Baldwin to be together. We're really happy about it; it will benefit the community," said Doris Duffy, a board member of the Baldwin Community Association, a non-partisan group that has lobbied aggressively to unify Baldwin legislatively on the county and state levels.
      Under the new proposal, Scannell said, the district would become nearly 100 percent unified if he inherits Baldwin Harbor from Legis. Mike Zapson (D-Long Beach) and most of North Baldwin from Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead). Abrahams would still retain two election districts under the Democrats' plan.
      The proposal increases the number of Democratic voters in Baldwin from 11,000 to 13,702, while the number of Republican voters in the area jumps from 19,000 to 20,474. Under the plan, Scannell would have 25 election districts in Baldwin.
      Scannell said that in a unified Baldwin, both Democrats and Republicans have a chance to win the Fifth District seat, which is up for grabs in November 2003. "We're trying to level the playing field," he said.
      But Republicans contend that Baldwin has had no major demographic shifts to warrant the changes, despite 2000 census figures that show the minority population increasing. According to Republicans, the plan makes radical changes by shifting segments of the white population out of the Fifth District and into the First District, which is a minority district represented by Abrahams, and by moving black voters into predominantly white districts, such as the Fifth. The result, Republicans say, is a reduction of the white voting-age population, from 84 percent to 67 percent, and an increase in the black voting-age population from 7.8 percent to 13 percent in the Fifth District.
      Ultimately, Democrats are "trying to strengthen Scannell's Democratic base in his district," said Ward.
      Part of the reason the redistricting proposal was held up was because Abrahams and Corbin had reservations about siphoning parts of their predominantly minority districts to areas that are mostly white, fearing a lack of representation and reducing the chances for a black candidate to win an election. But last Tuesday, Democrats presented a united front.
      "Kevan and I are very happy with this map," said Legis. Roger Corbin (D-Westbury). "We were concerned about the integrity of our districts as they relate to the minority community."
      Sources said a minor spat between Abrahams and Legis. Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) had also delayed the vote, and that Abrahams was upset that Denenberg and Scannell had publicly called for the removal of former lawmaker Patrick Williams -- still revered in his district -- from his post at the Nassau Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation.
      "I agree with the current map," said Abrahams, who added that though he would have liked to retain his constituents under the old district lines, he is optimistic about the proposed map. "I think this map will give us the opportunity to come back as a majority."