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March 1, 2011 in City
Suburan growth pushes legislative redistricting
Spokane-area legislative boundaries could change significantly by next year to make up for population shifts from the city’s urban core to the suburbs.
While much of the attention so far on the 2010 U.S. census figures has centered on Washington gaining its 10th congressional district, the state’s Redistricting Commission may have even more work to do on redrawing legislative districts. The state isn’t adding to the 49 legislative districts it has had since 1933.
“Ten is easier than 49. There’s more areas to quibble over” in the legislative district boundaries, said Dean Foster, a member of this year’s commission as well as the 2000 panel that redrew lines after the previous census.
Since the commission set boundaries 10 years ago for nearly equal districts, urban areas around the state have either lost population or grown much slower than the surrounding suburbs. Spokane’s 3rd District, which covers downtown Spokane and many surrounding neighborhoods, is now the state’s second-smallest in terms of population; in a state where growth has averaged about 14 percent over the last decade, the 3rd has grown three-tenths of 1 percent.
Over the past decade, the 3rd has been the most reliably Democratic district in Eastern Washington, while the 4th District to the east has been one of the most solidly Republican. The 6th district, which wraps around the 3rd on the north, west and south, was once solidly Republican but in the last four years has elected legislators from both major parties.
To meet the target for an average legislative district in the coming decade, the 3rd District will have to pick up some 16,635 people from the surrounding neighborhoods in the 4th and 6th districts. Depending on which way the boundaries shift, the 3rd could become a little less solidly Democratic, or the nearby districts more strongly Republican.
“We have to grow,” Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, who has represented the 3rd since 1993.
The 4th and 6th districts, meanwhile, have grown slightly faster than the state, but not enough to offset the deficit in the 3rd. So as they give up more of their population to the 3rd District, they’ll in turn have to push into the 7th District to the north and northwest, and into the 9th to the south and southwest. Both of those largely rural districts have grown slightly more slowly than the state average.
“It’s inevitable that I’ll lose some of Spokane County,” said Senate Republican Floor Leader Mark Schoesler, of Ritzville, first elected in 1993. “But I think the 9th and the 7th will still have part of Spokane County.”
If the redistricting commission avoids splitting rural counties between two districts, the 9th will likely make up for any population losses from Spokane County with gains from Franklin County.
The remapping won’t be as dramatic as in 1992, Brown said, when Spokane lost a whole district, the 5th, to suburban King County because of rapid population growth in Western Washington.
Eastern Washington isn’t likely to lose a whole district this time around, in part because of rapid growth in Franklin and Benton counties, said Richard Morrill, a professor emeritus of geography at the University of Washington, much of it by people who listed themselves on the census as Hispanic or Latino.
“The interesting question is whether there will be a district with a Latino majority,” he added.
Legislative leaders will suggest new boundaries to the redistricting commission, although the board isn’t required to follow them. The bottom line of such suggestions is to protect incumbents, Morrill said.
“Not everybody can be saved,” he added. “There’s some upheaval every 10 years.”
Romney/Paul split weighing on county GOP 
DickAdams on March 01 at 7:16 a.m.
Why would any business, taxpayer, or voter want to pay a 25% city utility tax when moving out of the city of Spokane would save you lots of money? We can thank Mayor Verner, Lisa Brown, and Gregoire for allowing the Lilac City to be a cash cow and taxpayer revenue drain. Compare the taxes in the Valley and see why.
Ninch on March 01 at 8:07 a.m.
Lisa Brown and Gregoire had NOTHING to do with City of Spokane taxes. In fact, Verner is only the mayor who proposes a budget. You need to look at who Spokane voters elect to City Council.
west on March 01 at 8:56 a.m.
Wow, Dick, you mean city charges 25% tax on electric, gas, comcast, water, sewer, garbage, telephone??? 25% of actual usage dollars is added for tax?
soccermomsusie on March 01 at 9:09 a.m.
I heard that the city charges 250% tax on all of these things, Dick! I would move to the Valley, except I would have to live in the Valley.
However, it is a Republican Paradise there! A stripmall City Hall! A Welcome to Spokane Valley sign printed on something that looks as thick as a paper plate! McDonald’s wrappers foating in the acrid breeze! You know that they are making sure that no one pays much in taxes there and it shows!!!!
Dick, I heard Mayor Verner is going to charge people to look at the falls downtown. Worse yet, the money gets funneled into a secret United Nations Takeover Celebration account. Nancy and George, protect us!!!
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!!!
DickAdams on March 01 at 9:28 a.m.
Ninch: I disagree. Yes, Gregoire and Brown made it much easier for local governments to enact city tax increases.
And West, the 25% effective rate applies to city services. Other city utility taxes, are 6 3/8% except for Comcast which is over 12%. And lets not forget, because the city utility tax rates are fixed anytime user rate increases are made your automatically charged more taxes. And I guess the proof is in the pudding when Spokane, with its 25% effective rate, is the “highest city utility rate in the country”. I defy anyone to name just one city that is equal to or higher. The Lilac City has always been higher than any city in the country. Period.
greenlibertarian on March 01 at 9:31 a.m.
http://www.spokanecity.org/departments/finance/taxlicenses/taxes/
Dick, if you want to be taken seriously, you should stop exaggerating. It is not a privilege of senior citizenship.
DickAdams on March 01 at 9:33 a.m.
Addendum:
Ninch: Usually I`m on the same wave length you are.
DickAdams on March 01 at 9:57 a.m.
Hey greenie: I have never asked for special privileges as a senior. In fact I resent the senior panthers who expect everything for free strapping their children with a debt so large they can`t pay it off. Let the gray haired pay their fair share. The senior real estate tax exemption formula is way out of whack allowing free loaders a free ride. I do not have an exemption and pay my overtaxed share. I also pay a federal income tax. The census shows that 47% of the citizens pay no federal income tax what so ever. I suppose looking at these numbers, they might include you as a free loader. There ain`t no free lunch. Your telling me I expect privileges as a senior is digested food through the bull. You know nothing about my personal life, but I can tell you one thing, I`m not sucking on the government teat.
DickAdams on March 01 at 10:00 a.m.
Addendum: Greenie, your post is incorrect. It appears you know nothing about gross up. You look stupid to those who know about it. I consider the source when I see crap like that.
greenlibertarian on March 01 at 10:40 a.m.
Dick, I’ll thank you to quit the personal insults, which also aren’t a privilege of the senior citizen or a tax payer paying their fair share.
Simply provide a reasonable basis and documentation for your statement: “Why would any business, taxpayer, or voter want to pay a 25% city utility tax…”
SPOKANITE on March 01 at 10:56 a.m.
As my grandpa used to say, “Don’t confuse me with facts; I’ve got my mind made up.”
Lulubelle on March 01 at 2:40 p.m.
I wonder whats really behind Dick’s unending animosity toward all things Spokane……I mean the man has made a career out of grousing about this and that. Maybe if he isn’t already there, he’ll move to the Valley and put himself out of all this misery.
And soccormomsusie is right…..you get what you pay for…having to live in the valley is almost as bad as having to live in Idaho