Thursday, April 2, 1998 | 9:53 a.m.
Clark County officials say they can redraw the seven Commission district boundaries for less than $40,000 using available staff, data and methods, rather than pay the U.S. Census Bureau $2-3 million to do the job.
The populations of each County Commission district have grown so disproportionately that there is a 45 percent gap between the largest and the smallest, with Commissioner Bruce Woodbury at 227,000 in District A and Chairwoman Yvonne Atkinson Gates with 124,000 in District D.
"The percentages are so out of whack at this time that any change is going to be a great help," said Commissioner Lance Malone, whose District C trails Woodbury's district by only a few thousand residents. "If we can get it closer it's going to be much better for all residents who live in this valley."
Some commissioners debate the reliability of staff-generated estimates versus Census tract data, and would prefer to wait.
"I've always said we need to wait for the 2000 census," Gates said. "If the majority of the board wants to do something other than that, I guess that's the way it has to go."
Supporters of reapportionment opt for attempting to even out the county's population now over pinpoint accuracy.
"They're saying if we wait for the census, by time they do all their number crunching we would be looking at another 3-4 years before reapportionment could be implemented," Malone said. "That's not acceptable."
Hiring the Census Bureau would ensure more accurate demographics, County Manager Dale Askew said, because it entails census takers knocking on doors to determine who is living at each home.
"That would be the best way, no question about it," Askew said. "Anything short of that would be less scientific and involve estimates."
But that option is no longer available. A letter from the Census Bureau said the bureau is not taking requests for population and housing updates because the bureau is preparing for the 2000 census.
Instead, Askew and staff have prepared three alternatives for the County Commission to consider next Tuesday as directed. Approval of any of the options could set things in motion to have redistricting completed by June 1999, in time for the Election Department to make the changes needed for the 2000 elections.
"What we envision is using an agreed-upon methodology for redrawing lines based on the outcome of that process, then going back to commissioners and asking for their input and ultimately for their approval," Askew said.
The first option is a no-frills analysis using available information and staff, Askew said, to "come up with our best educated estimate what the populations would be."
That would cost between $10,000 and $25,000, Askew figured, based on staff time and the possibility of hiring a consultant to oversee the methodology, validate the demographics and review the final redistricting proposals.
Option two would also cost in the same range, Askew said, but would entail the Commission empaneling a citizens advisory group to review demographics and provide input into redistricting to ensure that the voting strengths of minority populations are not diluted.
Staff suggested that group could be drawn from the 1998 Early Voting Advisory Board appointed to assist the Election Department. It includes members of the Culinary Union, the League of Women Voters, representatives from the state Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties, the NAACP, the ACLU, Hispanics in Politics and other political and civic organizations.
The third option, and the one likely to be recommended to the Commission, Askew said, would involve using an in-house consultant to facilitate the community advisory group in reviewing district boundaries.
Once the population estimates are calculated and the lines are redrawn, the consultant would then review the new districts "to ensure that minority interests have not been adversely affected," Askew said.
That option, Askew said, would run close to $40,000.
Along with those options, staff has outlined several "principles" to keep in mind to guide the redistricting process, Administrative Services Director Thom Reilly said. Districts must be as nearly "equal in population as possible, composed entirely of contiguous territory and be as compact as possible."
Districts also must conform to election precinct boundaries, the voting strengths of communities of interest and minority populations should be retained to the extent possible and the number of people affected should be as small as possible, he said.
Gates, who represents a historically strong minority district, said she wants to be sure that whatever method is selected ensures the integrity of every person's vote.
"The last thing we want to do is disenfranchise any person," Gates said. "That's what I'm counting on staff to come up with -- a way that doesn't disenfranchise any group or person."
archive
