MAYVILLE - The state Senate and Assembly districts released Thursday are great news for the region, Sen. Cathy Young, R-Olean, told The Post-Journal.
"It keeps the Southern Tier counties together instead of, for example, mixing Chautauqua County with Buffalo, which are very different in their make-up and needs," Sen. Young said. "So it's a very positive thing and I'm also very happy about the Assembly."
As proposed, the district of Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown, will now grow to include all of Chautauqua County. Sen. Young said she was sorry to learn about the local loss of Assemblyman Joe Giglio, R-Gowanda, as a representative - though he will continue to represent Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, which keeps those two counties whole.
"People are always concerned about having the counties divided up and that didn't happen," Sen. Young said. "It's very good public policy in my opinion to keep everyone whole. ... And Chautauqua County is whole with Andy Goodell having the entire county."
PROCESS
As explained by Sen. Young, each house is responsible under the constitution to propose a plan. Those plans will then be taken to the public in the form of 10 public hearings to receive feedback. According to Sen. Young, 14 hearings were held before the district lines were drawn up, so the coming 10 hearings will make a total of 24.
Following those hearings and any adjustments which are made as a result of the public hearings, the legislature will vote on the redistricting legislation with the governor having to sign it into law.
"This whole process is following the state and federal constitution,which the legislature is required to do," Sen. Young said. "So there is the creation of a 63rd seat in the Senate. That follows a formula that is contained within the state constitution. Although Western New York population has dropped, there are other parts of the state which have grown and so the state's population has actually by about half a million people - which is equivalent to more than one Senate seat.
"The Senate is always very careful to comply with all state and federal laws in regards to the voting," Sen. Young continued. "I'm confident that this plan meets those requirements."
According to The Associated Press, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he will veto lines not drawn by an independent commission. The lines released Thursday were drawn by the legislative majorities.