In response to an Order from Federal Court, submissions were made last night concerning Congressional redistricting. Thus far, there are 3 plans submitted by the State Legislature. The Senate Republicans, Assembly Democrats, and the Assembly Republicans have each produced a plan. The Senate Democrats have refused to submit a plan.
U.S. Magistrate Roanne Mann will consider the legislative proposals, and some others submitted by good-government groups, as well as testimony at a public hearing. She will develop a plan by March 12th.
If the plan from the Assembly Democrats is approved, Ulster County would be split, with the City of Kingston ending up in District #18 with Nan Hayworth. This would be a largely downstate district.
If the Senate Republican plan is approved, Ulster County again gets split with Kingston going to District #20 with Paul Tonko. This is better than the former, though Ulster County gets split.
The best of the three (in my opinion) is the Assembly Republican plan. Ulster County would remain intact along with all of Greene County, Sullivan County and Rensselaer County, along with 1/2 of Albany County and the northern portion of Dutchess County. We would be part of District 19 with Chris Gibson.
The Assembly Republican plan keeps Ulster County together and has the most geographic logic. It would be a completely upstate district with some urban areas, though mostly rural.
To see the three maps for yourself, go to: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/118344/congressional-plans-differ-in-capital-region-treatment/
Though the title of the article refers to the Capitol Region, it contains the full state maps for all three plans. Keep in mind that other plans will be submitted as well.
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6 comments:
Lets keep Ulster County whole and send Hein to DC.
Rich-can you give us a rundown on the background of possible representatives that could be representing us?
6:16,
Per your request, here is the official biography of Congressman Gibson:
Chris Gibson grew up in Columbia County in the town of Kinderhook. He was the Point Guard and Co-Captain of Ichabod Crane’s High School Basketball Team and went on to graduate magna cum laude with a BA in History from Siena College while earning a ROTC Commission there.
Over the course of his 24 year Army career, Chris rose to the rank of Colonel and deployed seven times. They included four combat tours to Iraq, and separate deployments to Kosovo, the Southwestern US for a counter-drug operation, and most recently - just prior to his retirement - Haiti where he commanded the 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) during the opening month of that humanitarian relief operation. The Secretary of the Army awarded the BCT the Superior Unit Award for their actions in Haiti.
Other key assignments included tours teaching American Politics at the United States Military Academy at West Point, serving as a Congressional Fellow with US Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA), the Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and completing a Hoover National Security Affairs Fellowship at Stanford University. Chris was also the Distinguished Honor Graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College.
In Congress, Chris serves on the House Armed Services Committee (Subcommittees on Readiness and Emerging Threats and Capabilities), the House Agriculture Committee (Subcommittees on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry and General Farm Commodities and Risk Management), and the Republican Policy Committee.
Among his military decorations are 2 Legions of Merit, 4 Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge with Star, the Master Parachutist Badge and the Ranger Tab. For their actions in Mosul in support of the first national election in the new Iraq, his Battalion Task Force earned the Valorous Unit Award. For their actions in Tal Afar during the 2nd and 3rd national elections in Iraq his Battalion and the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment were recognized for excellence by President George W. Bush and earned a 2nd Valorous Unit Award.
Chris holds an MPA and PhD in Government from Cornell University and is the author of Securing the State, a book on national security decision-making published in 2008. Chris has been married to Mary Jo, a NYS Licensed Clinical Social Worker, for over 15 years and they have three children: Katie (14), Maggie (12) and Connor (10). Their home is in Kinderhook where Chris is active in several civic organizations including the American Legion, VFW, NRA, the Knights of Columbus and St. John’s Church of Valatie.
6:16,
Per your request, here is the official biography of Congressman Hayworth:
A doctor, mother, businesswoman, and community leader turned public servant, Nan Hayworth represents New York’s 19th Congressional District in the U.S. Congress.
The daughter of an immigrant, Nan believes passionately in American exceptionalism. She is a staunch fiscal conservative because it is free enterprise that has enabled generations of Americans to thrive throughout our history.
As a Member of Congress, she views reining in unsustainable levels of federal spending as a crucial priority for the 112th Congress. With her medical background she will help to craft new health care policy that improves affordability and access to care while sustaining the choice, quality, and innovation that characterizes the best of American health care.
Nan currently serves on the House Financial Services Committee which is very important to the economy of the 19th District. Reducing regulatory burdens on businesses and reviving the economy through job creation are also top priorities.
Nan is a firm believer in the adage, don’t spend what you don’t have, and she’s committed to reducing government spending and helping taxpayers keep more of what they’ve worked so hard to earn.
For 16 years Nan served her community as an ophthalmologist, both in her own solo practice, which she started from scratch and grew into a successful office, and as a partner in the Mount Kisco Medical Group. Nan also served as an attending physician at Northern Westchester Hospital.
A dedicated member of New York State’s medical community, Nan served as an Instructor and Assistant Clinical Professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. During her career as a physician Nan has been recognized for her excellence in medicine and named to several top-doctors lists.
Nan graduated from Princeton University summa cum laude in Biology in 1981. She graduated top of her class in 1985 from Cornell University Medical College where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society.
Born in Chicago and raised in Munster, Indiana, Nan is the daughter of WWII veterans. Her father, an accountant, grew up in Ohio. Her mother emigrated from England in 1948, having served in the British Army Auxiliary Territorial Service. Nan graduated from Munster High School in 1977 and worked summers in a steel mill to help pay for college.
Nan has been a resident of New York’s 19th Congressional District since 1988. She and her husband, Dr. Scott Hayworth, live in Bedford with their two sons, Will and Jack, both of whom attended Bedford Central public schools, and their two cats, Penny and Jillian.
Only Republicans?
6:16,
Per your request, here is the official biography of Congressman Tonko:
Congressman Paul D. Tonko is serving his second term in Congress representing the 21st District of New York, which includes the state's capital city, Albany. Paul comes to Washington, DC with over two decades of administrative, legislative and policy experience having served in the New York State Assembly from 1983 to 2007, and as President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) from 2007-2008.
Congressman Tonko is a nationally recognized expert on energy issues. An engineer by training, Paul served as chairman of the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Energy prior to leaving the Assembly to join NYSERDA. As Chairman, Paul fought to protect consumers, fought against utility deregulation and worked to upgrade our aging energy infrastructure. While at NYSERDA, Paul worked to advance an aggressive green agenda for businesses and residents throughout New York State.
In Congress, he is a member of the Budget Committee - where he works to promote investments that create jobs and grow the economy, protect investments in the middle class and help bring down the deficit.
Congressman Tonko is also a member of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, which merges his energy expertise with his environmental agenda. He is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, which has investigation and oversight powers over all actions of the full committee. He is also a member of the subcommittees for Energy and Environment as well as Research and Science Education. Through his work on the committee, Paul hopes to spur an environment where innovation and cutting-edge research and design help drive economic development in the 21st Congressional District.
Building on his work in the New York State Assembly, where he fought for one of the nation's strongest mental health parity laws (known as "Timothy's Law"), Paul has always promoted fair and equitable health care policies that strengthen our communities and protect our most vulnerable citizens.
An advocate for a “green economy” and “green-collar jobs”, Congressman Tonko has promoted wind development in Upstate New York and successfully lobbied GE to locate their growing GE Wind operations in Schenectady, NY. In the New York State Assembly, Paul was a lead sponsor of the Power for Jobs program, which provides low cost power to employers throughout New York State and has retained or created 300,000 jobs statewide. In 2006, Paul successfully negotiated for Beech-Nut to keep their plant in Montgomery County, and expand their operation by relocating their corporate headquarters. The new Beech-Nut headquarters is a green building and retained 356 jobs while creating 135 new positions.
Congressman Tonko also has strong ties to local government, which he sees as a crucial partner in delivering programs and services to constituents. At age 26, Paul was the youngest person in the history of Montgomery County to be elected to the county’s Board of Supervisors. He served as chairman of that body until 1981. Prior to his election to the Assembly in 1983, Paul was an engineer in the New York State Department of Transportation and also served on the staff of the Department of Public Service. Paul has been a longtime member of the Public Employees Federation (PEF) and proudly serves as the first PEF member elected to Congress.
Paul graduated from Clarkson University with a degree in mechanical and industrial engineering. He is a lifelong resident of the city of Amsterdam, New York.
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