FLASHPOINT for Aug 10, 2007

Friday, Aug. 10, 2007 | 7:19 a.m.

When does a vote in favor of something really indicate that something is dead? When the subject is the most political act elected officials commit: Redistricting. County commissioners voted 4-3 this week to move forward with redrawing maps before the decennial census, which is fraught with legal peril. Lawyers for the state, Legislature and the county can't seem to agree on the legality. The politics are even more volatile. Advocates, especially Bruce Woodbury, had hoped to get at least five of seven commissioners to commit. But when the vote was 4-3 to go forward, the die was cast. You cannot move ahead on a nakedly political act with a split board - the ramifications would reverberate for a long time. So for now, redistricting R.I.P.

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