Gretchen Hoffman
LA CRESCENTA -- A revision of proposed Assembly district boundaries
released Saturday puts state Assemblywoman Carol Liu at risk of losing
two more foothill communities.
If district boundaries are approved as revised, La Crescenta and
Montrose would join Sunland and Tujunga as new additions to Rep. Keith
Richman (R-Granada Hills), of the 38th Assembly district.
Under proposed congressional and state Senate maps released last week,
La Crescenta and Montrose residents would also lose state Sen. Jack Scott
and Rep. Adam Schiff.
Liu's 44th district would retain La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, South
Pasadena and Temple City. She would gain Arcadia, Duarte and Eagle Rock.
The revisions to state Assembly districts came after two days of
public hearings across the state last week.
"People have communicated with the committee, and this is an attempt
to take in what has been given us," said Kam Kuwata, an Assembly
spokesman.
The redistricting process is intended to take into account trends and
shifts in population over the past 10 years and draw new lines in
accordance.
In the redistricting, an attempt has been made to link up communities
of interest, Kuwata added.
"My personal opinion -- I'm a Democrat, so I don't like it," said
Sharon Raghavachary, a La Crescenta resident and member of the Crescenta
Valley Town Council. "The way that they're redrawing the lines, it just
boggles the mind."
"These foothill communities have a lot in common," Raghavachary added.
"We have nothing in common with those [in Richman's district]. We're just
the new kids on the block and I just feel like we'll be left out."
Comments on the proposed voting districts will be accepted by the
redistricting committee up until the final vote, which will most likely
take place this week, Kuwata said.
"We're finalizing things," Kuwata said. "We're closer and closer and
closer."
Residents in Sunland and Tujunga, which also stand to lose all three
current representatives, rallied at Sunland Park Sunday to gather
signatures for a petition against proposed district boundaries.
Comments and feedback can be sent to the committee at
Assemblymember.Longville@assembly.ca.gov. The revised district plans are
available at www.assembly.ca.gov/erca.
