Saturday, April 4, 1998 | 4:03 a.m.
With the population explosion in Clark County, there has been a disproportionate growth in the County Commission districts, causing some commissioners to call for redrawing the boundaries so they're more equal. No one would dispute that a gap exists between some districts, but the problem is that the solution could make a bad situation even worse.
In early March, the County Commission voted 4-3 to direct its staff to identify alternative redistricting options and how much each would cost. One of the options was contracting with the U.S. Census Bureau for a special census. But the Census Bureau option, the most scientifically valid of the options, is no longer possible because the agency is in the midst of preparing for the 2000 census and isn't taking special requests.
So the county is looking at redrawing the district boundaries for less than $40,000, using available staff. But there are doubts as to how reliable the staff estimates will be compared to census tract information. Clark County Manager Dale Askew said more accurate demographics would be obtained through the Census Bureau. "That would be the best way, no question about it. Anything short of that would be less scientific and involve estimates," Askew said.
On Tuesday, the County Commission will vote on whether to continue its plans to redraw the political boundaries. The bottom line in all of this is that using nonscientific data could disenfranchise groups, including racial minorities. If the county commissioners are truly sincere about equal representation, they will wait for the 2000 census, which will contain solid information.
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