Central Deserves Its Own Senate District in Reapportionment

March 12, 2011 0 Comments

CENTRAL, Feb. 10, 2011 — The federal census results for 2010 are now pouring in, and it is clear that East Baton Rouge Parish is the largest parish in the state. Population has declined in Orleans Parish, while it has grown in the Capital region and on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

The Louisiana Legislature will hold a special session on reapportionment March 20 to April 13, in anticipation of this fall’s statewide elections.

The census figures show that the Capital area should add one State Senate district and perhaps two State House districts, and House and Senate district lines could change dramatically in Central.

After reapportionment, the average Senate district will have 116,000 people, while the average House district 43,000. Sen. Dale Erdey, who represents parts of Central and Livingston Parish has 38,000 more people than the 116,000 target. Rep. Clif Richardson, who represents the southern part of Central and some of Baton Rouge, is about 1,300 above the 43,000 target. Rep. Bodi White, whose district includes parts of Zachary, Pride, the north part of Central, and some of Livingston Parish is about 8,000 above the 43,000 target.

Coming up with a reapportionment plan is one of the most controversial things the legislature does, because so many things are at stake in the process, not the least of which is legislators’ own political future. A plan has to fit together. So minor adjustments to one district or the other seldom work. A district may have exactly 43,000 people, yet it may change dramatically because of factors that ripple across many districts.

For the people of Central, there are at least two ways that we could “win” in the reapportionment process and at least two ways that we could “lose.” The two ways for Central to win would be as follows:

• On the House side, Central could become the dominant area in District 64 (Bodi White). That would mean shedding the population in Zachary and some of the population in Livingston. This would give Central a majority in a district composed of the north part of Central and Watson in Livingston. A completely new district will probably be created in Livingston Parish. So this scenario is possible.

• On the Senate side, a new Senate district could be created that would be dominated by Central. It would include the City of Central, Pride, Chaneyville, East Feliciana, and parts of southeast Baton Rouge along the Amite River. This could give Central more clout in the Senate and in state government generally.

The two ways for Central to lose in the reapportionment process would both involve fragmentation of the city. The current Senate district of Sen. Rob Marionneaux is an extreme example of this. His district, which includes the north part of Central, wraps completely around East Baton Rouge Parish.

• One type of fragmentation would involve inner city House districts reaching out into Central to pick up population they need. This is unlikely.

• The other kind of fragmentation is more likely — that two Senate districts from Livingston Parish might reach into Central and prevent the formation of a Central-based district. This scenario would not be the end of the world, because Central and Livingston are in accord 98 percent of the time, and Sen. Dale Erdey has represented both areas well. But his district needs to shed a lot of population, and it is an excellent opportunity for Central to have its own Senator.

The legislature will hear public comment at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 21, 2011, at the Louisiana Board Room of the Louisiana Building at Baton Rouge Community College.

Let your voice be heard!

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News