Comments regarding the future 46th Legislative District

Dear Washington State Redistricting Commission,

At our meeting on October 4th, 2011, the Executive Board of the 46th District Democrats considered and passed the attached resolution regarding our desires on how the 46th District could change in the current Redistricting process.

Resolution Urging Retention of Seattle’s Northern City Limit as the Northern Boundary of the 46th Legislative District:

Whereas, under both state law and court decisions, legislative district boundaries should be set utilizing both city boundaries and communities of interest; and,

Whereas there are significant differences between residents of Seattle and residents of the suburban communities north of the Seattle City line in matters of community interests, school district and electoral matters, and interests of representation; and,

Whereas the City line at NW, N, and NE 145th Street provides a distinct and readily recognizable line for both communities of interest, political boundaries and legislative district boundaries; and

Whereas proposed redistricting maps from Commissioners Ceis, Huff and Foster would break up legislative representation of the cities of Shoreline or Lake Forest Park, diluting a portion of their legislative representation within a revised 46th District dominated by North Seattle, with no meaningful basis for dividing portions of those communities between legislative districts; and,

Whereas increasing the population of the 46th District can be accomplished by an adjustment of the District’s southern boundary, while maintaining its northern boundary as the Seattle City limit so as to preserve communities of interest for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, including the community of interest shared through schools (e.g., school assignment) and major arterials;

Therefore, the 46th District Democrats, through their elected Executive Board, urge the Washington State Redistricting Commission and commissioners to:

a) Maintain the communities of interest and logical legislative-district northern boundary of the 46th District at the Seattle’s northern city limit, 145th Street; and,

b) Utilize arterials as boundaries of the 46th and maintain communities of interest regarding schools and community councils.

Please consider this resolution during the final process of developing the Legislative District maps.