Hevesi OK With New District Lines, But Not How They Got Here

After the revelation of possible new district lines by the state’s redistricting committee last week, Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi said he was pleased with the result — but not the overall process.

Hevesi’s Forest Hills district underwent some minor changes, compared to other districts in the area, including the loss of Forest Hills High School and some of its surrounding neighborhood.

At a meeting earlier this year, Hevesi said he had seen four possible incarnations of what his district could ultimate look like. The one LATFOR finally released ultimately met with his approval, he said this week.

"I'm excited about my preliminary district lines – unfortunately, while I’ll be losing constituents and parts of the district which I’ve proudly represented since taking office, I look forward to getting to work with my new neighbors,” Hevesi said.

The problem, he admitted, was with the way Albany reached what could be the final district lines, not the result.

“I remain troubled by the process New York State uses to develop electoral districts,” Hevesi added. “Since taking office in 2005, I have repeatedly advocated for reforming the redistricting process by sponsoring a bill which creates bi-partisan electoral commissions responsible for producing equitable and representative voting districts."

Hevesi wasn’t alone in that crusade. Already this year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he would likely veto district lines that weren’t arrived at through an independent, bipartisan panel, which was not created in time to do the drawing this go around.

If Cuomo follows through on his veto threat, the district lines would end up being settled in the state courts.