City Speaks Out Against Proposed Redistricting

Last week’s release of the California Redistricting Commission’s draft of proposed new voting boundaries has shaken up the political future of incumbents and has sparked the concerns of local city officials.

While the 14-member commission aimed to keep communities whole in it redistricting of congressional and state districts, Glendora has found itself sliced into two parts.

Under proposed draft plans for new congressional and state districts, Glendora’s congressional district falls under two districts – East San Gabriel Valley --Covina and the San Gabriel Valley Mountain Foothills Districts.

While this has left the outlook of, it has also divided a portion of the city from east to west.

According to draft plans, the city north and south of Route 66 and left of Loraine Avenue falls into the East San Gabriel Valley – Covina District shared with Azusa, San Dimas, West La Verne, La Puente, Charter Oak, Covina, Citrus, Irwindale, Duarte, Monrovia, Baldwin South El Monte and West Covina.

But a portion of the city north of Route 66 and west of Loraine Avenue now falls in the San Gabriel Valley Mountain Foothills District with Upland, Claremont, La Verne, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Altadena, Pasadena, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta Montrose, Glendale and Burbank. View the maps by looking up your address  here.

Although the commission has claimed that its primary goal is to keep communities of similar interests together, population quotas for each district has driven the boundaries through communities.

“When I look at the map, apparently Glendora East and West don’t have like interests,” said Mayor Pro Tem Gene Murabito, calling the apparent assumption inaccurate.

Other communities have also spoken out on the draft maps, claiming the new boundaries are preventing communities from being heard as a whole and potentially destroying traditional political strongholds, such as the historically Republican 26th District of current Rep. Dreier.

“This is definitely going to have an impact on us and we are going to see a lot of hurdles to overcome,” said Murabito. “We feel strongly that we should be one district.”

Still the commission maintains that boundaries were drawn following a strict criteria for population, and kept as many communities together as possible.

The commission is hosting a public forum Friday, June 17, 6 to 9 p.m. at Rio Hondo College, Wray Theatre , 3600 Workman Mill Rd. Whittier, Calif.

Officials are urging citizens to voice their concerns on the proposed redistricting, as the commission seeks public input before final approval of the draft on August 15.

For more information on the redistricting process, click here.

Editors Note: A previous version of this article listed the city north of Sierra Madre Avenue as the redistricting boundary lines for the city. It is north and south of Route 66 and east of Loraine Avenue for the East San Gabriel Valley--Covina District and the city north of Route 66 and west of Loraine Avenue for the San Gabriel Mountain Foothills District.