Redistricting raises battle issues for Northeast Texans

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

June 26, 2003 -- With the Texas Legislature to soon reconvene in special session, the controversial topic of redistricting is expected to create quite a battle.

Citizens of Northeast Texas will have the opportunity to address redistricting at public hearings in Nacogdoches and Dallas, on June 28. Public comment will be heard by representatives from the Subcommittee on Congressional Redistricting at the hearings which will also be held in Brownsville, Houston, San Antonio, and Lubbock.

Each of the six hearings will last from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., with a lunch break from 1 to 3 p.m., on their specified date, according to a press release issued by the House speaker's office.

Gov. Rick Perry officially sent the word to legislators on June 18 that a special session would begin June 30.

Redistricting was the reason some of the state's Democratic representatives fled to Oklahoma in May, and according to Rep. Barry Telford (D-De Kalb), "It (redistricting) is not a valid reason to call a special session.

"This sets a terrible precedent," Telford began. "The Republicans are not interested in fairness. They are only interested in counties the Republicans can not loose. They don't care what they do in rural Texas in the process."

The proposed redistricting plan would move congressional districts around, causing rural Northeast Texas counties to be lumped in the same district as suburban Dallas-area counties. This plan would leave those counties at the mercy of Dallas and Republicans, said Bill Brannon, a political consultant for several Northeast Texas representatives, in an earlier interview.

"Northeast and East Texas will become a precinct of a Dallas suburban. Four counties (Grayson, Rockwall, Hunt and Van Zandt) will dominate what happens in my district," Telford continued. "This will cause political chaos."

Telford, who represents District 1 that includes Bowie, Cass, Marion and Morris counties, added, "This is the first time in state history that a governor has called a special session on behest of a purely partisan" individual. Telford went on to say Sen. Tom DeLay is a major mover behind Gov. Perry's decision.

"Want to know why redistricting went to the federal courts last time?" Telford asked. "In 2001, the Senate Redistricting Committee, chaired by a Republican, brought forth a congressional redistricting map that was a Republican map. But, because the map was not Republican enough, the Republicans killed the map. So, we kicked the ball to the federal courts, where they (the federal judges) drew a fair map."

The current "fair" map is being disputed because "the Legislature didn't fulfill its constitutional responsibility in 2001 and reapportion Texas' congressional district lines," according to Speaker of the House Tom Craddick.

Telford said they would not walk out of the legislative session this time, but help regarding the redistricting issue would have to come from other sources.

"There is nothing we can do to stop it (redistricting bill) from passing in the House. If they are hell-bent on doing this, then we will appeal to Sen. Bill Ratliff and other Senate members to protect Northeast Texas," Telford said.

In the Senate, due to the two-thirds rule, Republicans will have to swing two votes from Democrats in order to debate the issue. If this is not done, the bill will again fail.

"Redistricting will not only determine the party (who wins) but the geographical area they will come from," the De Kalb native cited.

Telford urged citizens to contact the governor, and the members of the redistricting subcommittee. Members of the subcommittee are Committee Chair Rep. Joe Crabb (512-463-0520), Geanie Morrison, Ron Wilson, Phil King, Vilma Luna, Robert Talton, Kenny Marchant, Kent Grusendorf, Carl Isett, Ruth Jones McClendon, Richard Raymond, Joe Crabb, Mike Villarreal, Kino Flores, Mike Krusee and Jim Pitts.

Representatives can be contacted by going online to www.house.tx.us. Once there, click on members, then select the member. All representatives, except Crabb, have an email link.