06-13-2008, 07:53 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Jon
share the power with another councilperson or that a new councilperson might make them look bad"
Since you do not live here and, after all,
you are only a Texan, you probably wouldn't know that this isn't about "power sharing" or being made to "look bad".As I gather the concerns raised by my friends and neighbors here, in Puna, the problem is that the proposed redistricting would end the existing gerrymandered boundaries that scatter Puna residents across three separate districts, and the result would then be two districts would be comprised entirely, or very nearly so, of Puna residents.
[Rob, Kale, et al, will correct me if I am in error here.]
The assumption seems to be that voters in Puna have more in common with each other than with neighboring Districts of Ka'u and South Hilo. Is this is a really valid assumption? Is Volcano more like Kapoho than Pahala?
Are Kehena and Orchidland and Glenwood realy so homogenuous?
A representative district is sometimes said to be best when the residents are as nearly homogeneous as possible.
Do I favor the proposed redistricting? Don't know yet.
But I am and will remain forever opposed to grandstanding, knee-jerk parochialism with no underlying redeeming value for the welfare of the community at large.
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park