HomeMy WebLinkAbout024434 RES - 05/08/2001RESOLUTION
ADAMANTLY AND UNQUALIFIEDLY oppOSING REDISTRICTING
PLAN APPROVED BY THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE OF THE
TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; AND URGING IN THE
STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS THAT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE
REJECT THE PLAN AND THAT THE GOVERNOR VETO THE PLAN IF
PASSED
WHEREAS, the Redistricting Committee of the Texas House of Representatives has
approved the Committee Substitute to House Bill 150 which approves Plan 01063H (the "Plan");
and
WHEREAS, the Plan shockingly eviscerates the vital interests of the Coastal Bend, which
include our coastal industries, port facilities, tourism and convention facilities, universities and
colleges, development, and environment; and
WHEREAS, the Plan would create a gerrymandered House of Representatives District 44
lacking any pretense of being compact and continuous; and
WHEREAS, the proposed, gerrymandered District 44 picks up large water areas (Corpus
Christi and Nueces Bays, and two miles into the Gulf of Mexico), one precinct in south Corpus
Christi, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, part of Mustang Island, the City of Port Aransas,
and several precincts in northwest Corpus Christi, with relatively small population areas; then picks
up Jim Wells, Duval, Jim Hogg, and Start Counties, all the way to the Rio Grande; and
WHEREAS, this linking of our coastal interests with the Rio Grande destroys the traditional
community of interest of the Coastal Bend as it has been historically represented in the Legislature,
and permanently diminishes legislative representation of the vital coastal interests of the Coastal
Bend; and
WHEREAS, the proposed, gerrymandered District 44 is unwise, unfair to the Coastal Bend
area, and probably illegal.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, THAT:
SECTION 1o Partisan advantage is not a consideration in the proper configuration of
District 44 and is specifically not the concern of the City of Corpus Christi; the critical concern is
the future proper representation of our community of interests regardless of which candidate the
voters choose to select.
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Corpus Christi adamantly and unqualifiedly
opposes the Plan.
H \LEG-DIR~JIMM Y\WPDOCS~LEGIS,d J RB4409 001
SECTION 3. The City of Corpus Christi, in the strongest possible terms, urges that the
Texas Legislature reject the Plan, and that the Governor veto the Plan if passed by the Legislature.
SECTION 4. The City Manager is directed to convey the City's opposition to the Plan to
the Texas Legislature, the Governor, and other interested state and local officials.
ATTEST:
Armando Chapa
City Secretary
Samuel L. NabS, Jr. "~'~J
Mayor, The City of Corpus Christi
APPROVED THIS THE ) DAY OF
,2001:
James R. Bray, Jr., City Attorney
H:\LEG-DIR~JIMM Y\WPDOCS~LEGI S~ I JRB4409 001
Corpus Christi, Texas
~ 'Fl'q day of
The above resolution was pas(s}ed by
Samuel L. Neal, Jr.
Brent Chesney
Javier D. Colmenero
Henry Garrett
Bill Kelly
Rex A. Kinnison
John Longoria
Jesse Noyola
Mark Scott
,2001
the following vote:
H LEG- ) Rkl MMY WPDOCS\LEGISXl JRB4409 001
024434