Regents baffled by plan to redraw boundaires

Erin Neff

Wednesday, May 9, 2001 | 10:36 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Regent Linda Howard didn't know where to begin with her criticism of a Democrat plan to redraw political boundaries for the state's main education boards.

For starters, the map she saw for the first time Tuesday afternoon drew her completely out of her district. Then it forced the Democrat and only minority Regent to run against a well-funded Republican incumbent.

Lastly, the state lawmakers had ignored her recent vote to expand the size of the Regents from 11 to 13 members, and instead had opted to shrink it to 10.

"These lines are drawn, but no one consulted with the chair of the Regents or anyone," Howard said. "It's making me wonder whether they're trying to draw me out of the district."

Legislative Counsel Bureau staff said they inadvertently drew Howard out of her district because they didn't have her correct address. And although they vowed to correct that detail, Howard and other Regents were still very unhappy with the proposal.

Thalia Dondero, chair of the Board of Regents, said she couldn't understand why state lawmakers had completely ignored the maps for 13 seats approved 7-4 by the Regents.

"Even if the board were to remain at its same size, there's a strong possibility that rural Nevada would not be protected," Dondero told the Assembly Elections, Procedures and Ethics Committee during a hearing Tuesday.

Instead, Democrats mapped out Regent districts to coincide with the 10 seats to which the state Board of Education has decided it would reduce its numbers. The state Board of Education's proposed seats were essentially duplicated for the Regent seats, according to Assembly Committee Chair Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas.

"We didn't have any input from you," Giunchigliani said.

Dondero said she couldn't understand why lawmakers would reduce the number of districts from the current 11 to 10.

"You wouldn't have to worry about raising our salaries, or taking them away, because we don't have salaries," Dondero said.

Under the Democrats' plan, an incumbent-free Regent seat would be created in Clark County by having Tom Wiesner run against Howard. Regents Dorothy Gallagher and Doug Hill would have to vie for a seat covering parts of Humboldt, Pershing, Elko, Lander, Eureka, Churchill, Nye, Storey, Lyon, Mineral, Esmeralda, White Pine, Lincoln and Washoe counties.

That district, stretching an estimated 25,000 square miles, would have a population of 207,478 - slightly more than the 196,000 average in the seven proposed Clark County districts.

State Board of Education member Theresa Malone said she supported the lawmakers' plan because it closely mirrored her board's suggestion.

"Many folks are pleased with these recommendations," Malone said. "Rurals do have a voice in this plan."

The committee will hold another hearing on the educational redistricting plan outlined in Assembly Bill 664. That meeting has not yet been scheduled, but the Legislature has a self-imposed May 25 deadline to complete redistricting.