Redistricting commission plans to report recommendation on new maps by Monday

DES MOINES – The special five-member Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission has heard from the public and now plans to deliver its verdict by Monday on proposed maps charting new congressional and legislative boundaries for the next decade.

And, signs increasingly are pointing toward the first set of reapportionment maps drawn by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency getting approved.

“My sense is it will pass,” said commission member Matt Paul, one of five Iowans who heard generally favorable comments on the new redistricting plan this week at public hearings in Council Bluffs, Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.

Commission chairwoman Maggie Tinsman, a former GOP legislator from Bettendorf said the relatively low turnouts at this week's hearings were are indication that “people must be pretty satisfied with the plan. Panel members noted that no organized opposition materialized during their four-day road trip and Tinsman said “I would be surprised if it's not unanimous” when the commission members prepare their report and recommendation to deliver to the Legislature on Monday.

Fewer than a dozen people showed up for Thursday's fourth and final public hearing and only four offered comments – mostly positive.

“I would approve it,” said Gary Capps of Oskaloosa. “We should get it done and move on to other things.”

However, Jeremy Walters of Des Moines was troubled by some of the configurations of House and Senate districts in Polk County and was interested in the General Assembly seeking a second set of LSA-drawn maps.

“I think we probably could do better,” he said. “Let's look into it a little further and let's take improvements.”

Jonathan Vaage of Des Moines favored approving the first plan, saying he was concerned that further delays would only politicize the process. He said he was proud of the way Iowa conducts its reapportionment process using a nonpartisan approach that is unique among U.S. states.

Top Republican leaders in the House and Senate agreed Thursday that the first proposed redistricting plan has not drawn much controversy even though it throws current GOP Congressmen Steve King of Kiron and Tom Latham of Ames together in a new 4th congressional district in northwest and north-central Iowa and Democratic Congressmen Bruce Braley of Waterloo and Dave Loebsack of Mount Vernon together in the newly proposed 1st District in northeast and east-central Iowa.

U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Des Moines, would be the incumbent in the new 3rd district stretching more Des Moines to Council Bluffs while the newly proposed 2nd District is an open seat for now in southeast and southern Iowa.

“I haven't been given a good reason, or a strong reason to turn it down yet,” said House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, who expected the House would consider the first plan next Thursday. “The process is working and I haven't heard any real negative comments.”

Senate GOP Leader Paul McKinley of Chariton offered a similar assessment.

Slow population growth the past decade resulted in Iowa losing one congressional seat. The LSA's redistricting plan reshapes Iowa's current five congressional districts into four for the 2012 election and reconfigures legislative districts in a way that would throw about a third of the current House and Senate incumbents together under the new proposed boundaries.

Either the House, which currently is controlled by Republicans 60-40, or the Senate, where Democrats hold a 26-24 majority, or Gov. Terry Branstad can reject the initial Legislative Services Agency proposal.

If it's rejected, the agency has 35 days to produce a second map, which, like the first, cannot be altered. If that's rejected, LSA has 35 days to prepare a third map. That can be amended.

If the Legislature does not approve a map by Sept. 1, the Iowa Supreme Court will step in.

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