More on Tampa City Council Redistricting

More on the redistricting that I wrote about before. Below is an email from Randy Baron. This issue is very important. We need to be part of one City Council District. Currently we are split between 3 districts. North/New Tampa (7), East Tampa (5) and West Tampa (6)

If we can become part of one district, we will have more influence in that District. Example: SE Seminole Heights is in District 5. We are the only part of Seminole Heights in that District. Before Kevin White became City Council member for District 5, we were ignored by the previous City Council member, Gwen Miller. The feeling was she ignored us because SE Seminole Heights was a non-majority black neighborhood in an majority black district. She could get elected without us. Fortunately, SE Seminole Heights is now better represented by Kevin White, who looks at all of his District's needs. But Kevin will hopefully moving to the County Commission(if things go well) and so who know who we will get?

However if all 38,000 (or 25,000 or what ever population is) residents of Seminole Heights become part of of the 80,000 residents in District 6, we will be a more powerful voice in that District and thus in the City. Especially since we are the most organized area of Tampa.

From Randy:

The Planning Commission's hearing on city council redistricting is tonight at 7:30 at the Planning Commission Boardroom at 601 E. Kennedy, 18th Floor. Currently, Hampton Terrace and SE Seminole Heights is in 5 and everything else is in 6. Jim Hosler's response to consolidating all of Seminole Heights was as follows:

I took a look at the three precincts and we'll go ahead and run the numbers, but it looks like the switch out of 319 and 318 for 217 won't work because of the racial percentage, at least.

217 is only 21% black and 318 and 319 together are about 33% black taken together. Also, 217 is 3,341 people and 318 and 319 together are 2,650, so the % criteria may also be hard to meet.

If it doesn't work out for you finally after we've "run the numbers", that doesn't mean you can't make the public comment on Thursday -- that is the only way things get changed.

To me, looking at the maps, there are still ways to get this to work. Ironically, the second priority (after equality of district size) is keeping neighborhoods together. I hope some of you can join me tonight in asking the Commission to revisit the feasibility of keeping Seminole Heights in one district.

More on the Planning Commission Website. Phone is 272-5940