HomeMy WebLinkAboutEllen Koldewey 02-01-2022 Orozco, Norma
From: emkold@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2022 2:36 PM
To: eComment; Sarmiento, Vicente; Bacerra, Phil; Phan, Thai; Penaloza, David; Lopez,
Jessie; Hernandez, Johnathan; Mendoza, Nelida
Subject: Redistricting Public Hearing Item #16 Regarding Redistricting Ward Boundaries - IN
SUPPORT OF DRAFT PLAN F
Mayor Vicente Sarmiento
Mayor Pro Tem Phil Bacerra
Council Members
Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
Jessie Lopez
Nelida Mendoza
David Penaloza
Thai Viet Phan
Greetings Mayor and Council Members,
I am writing to urge the Council to adopt Redistricting Draft Plan F. Draft Plan F is clearly in the
best interest of our City's residents.
Before asking you to endorse Draft Plan F, I reviewed the plan criteria and draft plans submitted
by Redistricting Partners in their Report to Council (See City of Santa Ana Draft Maps 2-1-
2022 ht(ps://santa-ana.primegov.com/Portal/M`eetin ?mpiledMeetingDocumentFileId 26389) as
well as the Council's redistricting criteria that appears in our City's web site (See Santa-
Ana.org/CC/redistricting:documents). Since 2012, I have followed with great interest our City's
transition from at large to district elections and the re-drawing of the existing boundaries of our
City's wards in compliance with Federal and California Voting Rights Act requirements, based on
the latest US Census demographic data.
I support Council's redistricting criteria for use when drawing ward lines and believe Draft Plan
F fulfills these criteria. I appreciate Council's commitment to redistricting as
a nonpartisan process in which ward boundaries shall not be drawn for
purposes of favoring or discriminating against a political party. Per your
criteria, to the extent practicable, ward lines in Draft Plan F have been adopted that appear to
ensure: (1) geographically contiguous wards, (2) the geographic integrity of local neighborhoods or
communities is respected in a manner that minimizes its division, (3) geographic integrity of the
city is respected in a manner that minimizes its division, (4) easily identifiable boundaries follow
natural or artificial barriers (rivers, streets, highways, rail lines, etc.), and (5) lines are drawn to
encourage geographic compactness. (See Santa-Ana.org/cc/Redistricting, documents)
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As Redistricting Partners notes in their current report to Council, the Fair Maps Act passed by the
California Legislature mandates a set of criteria the City must follow when drawing ward
plans. Draft Plan F appears to follow all of these criteria as well. Plan F contains wards of
relatively equal size of people; which run contiguously with other wards; Plan F
wards: maintain "communities of interest;" follow city and census designated place
boundaries; and are kept compact in appearance and function. Plan F: has been created with a
less than 10% total deviation; is based on public District submissions; and was reviewed to ensure
it follows traditional redistricting criteria. The Map of Plan F was posted to the City's web site for
the public prior to this Draft Map hearing. (See hops://santa-
ana.primegov.com/Portal/Meetin ?�piledMeeti,n DocumentFileld 26389)
Specifically, Redistricting Partners notes that Plan F meets traditional redistricting criteria and
also achieves the deviation of 4.7%; it is based on public submission; it creates five wards that are
50%+ Latino citizen voting age; creates an Asian plurality ward in Ward A at 43.5% : and follows
Neighborhood lines. It keeps Northern Communities whole: West Floral Park, Floral Park, Fisher
Park, Morrison Eldridge Park, and Park Santiago. It keeps Southern Communities whole:
Sandpointe, Republic Homes, Metro Classic, Thornton Park and South Coast. (See hops://santa-
ana.primegov.com/Portal/Meetin ?�pi/edMeetiLn DocumentFileld 263891
To sum up, by all of these important criteria, Draft Plan F will benefit our City. The Plan maintains
a plurality of Asian residents in a Westside ward and five wards that are 50%+ Latino
citizen voting age. It keeps the strength of both North and South Santa Ana neighborhoods
by keeping those neighborhoods together. This Plan thus enhances the strength of the City's
communities of interest and keeps the strength of our City's neighborhoods.
I am a Santa Ana resident. My family lives in Ward 3 in the Floral Park
neighborhood of our City. I urge you to adopt Redistricting Draft Plan F
without delay.
Respectfully Submitted
Mrs. Ellen Koldewey
Santa Ana CA
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