Sacramento City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby’s district has grown 123 percent since 2000, skyrocketing from a population of 47,670 in 2000 to a population of 106,729 in 2010. But it won’t stay that way for much longer – the city intends to chop it up in this year’s redistricting process. The 2010 U.S. Census numbers relating to the city’s redistricting process came in Tuesday, three weeks earlier than the city had expected, said Scot Mende, the city’s new growth manager. And Ashby’s District 1, which includes North and South Natomas and part of downtown, is much larger now than any other district. Maria MacGunigal, the city’s Geographic Information System manager, attributes the changes

The City Council revises Council district boundaries every ten years following the U.S. Census. Districts must be as equal in population as is practicable. The 2010 Census data will be released on or about April 1, 2011, Council must complete the redistricting process within six months of the release of the Census “block data” figures for the June 2012 election. It is estimated that the 2010 census will show that the City’s population has grown from 407,000 to 470,000. District 1 in particular is expected to be 40,000 people over its pro-rata share. Given the anticipated significance of change to existing districts, the City needs to insure clear communication, encourage widespread partic

A group of nearly 40 residents and city staffers held an in-depth discussion on the city’s redistricting process Monday night at the Ethel Hart Senior Center. Residents explored a range of topics, including the role of race in the process. The city redesigns its City Council districts every 10 years by using U.S. Census data. The 2010 Census data that the city will use is expected to be released in April. The new districts must be drawn up and finished six months after the Census data is available, according to the city’s charter. The city’s deadline for the 2011 redistricting process will be Sept. 27. At Monday night’s redistricting forum, hosted by the Area 1 Neighborhood Advisory Gro

Sacramentans can soon apply to serve on the City Council’s redistricting advisory panel. Four of the 13 panel positions will be available to the general public. The eight council members and Mayor Kevin Johnson will each appoint a member of the panel. The remaining four spots are “at-large,” which means they will not be filled by appointees, said Scot Mende, the city’s new growth manager. Applications for the four positions will be screened by the City Council’s Personnel and Public Employees Committee, Mende said. Then, the City Council will vote to select the four members, Mende said. The city uses U.S. Census figures to restructure City Council districts every decade. Read a schedul

The Sacramento City Council decided Tuesday night that it will create a citizens' group to assist with this year’s redistricting process. Council members voted 8-1 to form a citizens' advisory committee that would scrutinize redistricting plans suggested by the public. Councilwoman Angelique Ashby opposed the idea of a citizens' group, saying that the public should bring its redistricting plans directly to the council, instead of to a committee. “I think the citizens should have direct access to us on this issue,” Ashby said. But some of her colleagues on the City Council said that forming a citizens' committee would make the process more inclusive to the public. “Erring on the side of

The City of Sacramento's Neighborhood Services Division of the Department of Parks and Recreation will host four Redistricting Forums during the month of February. As part of the Community Partnership Meetings, these four forums provide the public with the opportunity to learn the following about redistricting at the local level straight from the experts: - Frequently Asked Questions About Redistricting - Key Redistricting Standards and Concepts - Participating in the Redistricting Process - The Impact of Census Data and Policies on Redistricting There will also be time set aside to have your questions answered. Below are the dates and times of the Redistricting Forums: South Area Wed

The Sacramento City Council kicked off the city’s redistricting process Tuesday night. City leaders use U.S. Census data to rework district lines each decade. The city expects to receive the necessary data from the 2010 Census in early April, according to a Jan. 18 report by city staff. At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, council members discussed the idea of creating a citizens’ committee to advise them on the redistricting process, but they did not come to a final decision on that matter. The council unanimously asked city staffers to return in two weeks with details about the role of the citizens’ advisory committee. At that time, the council may decide whether it wants to form a

California's Democratic and Republican chairmen addressed how their parties' candidates will overcome the budget crisis if elected in November at the Capital Plaza Halls Tuesday afternoon. The lunch was hosted by the Sacramento Press Club and was attended by members of the working press, state politics, and public. Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring and Democratic Party Chairman John Burton spoke mainly on the gubernatorial and senate elections, claiming that in the coming months it will become increasingly clear why either party has the better candidate. Among the issues addressed was that of campaign financing. With Meg Whitman's campaign likely to spend hundreds of millions of doll