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I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS AUGUST 31, 2020 WHEN SPECIAL MEETING TO ORDER. WE ARE TAKING UP ONE ITEM IN
[County Attorney (Part 1 of 2)]
TODAY IT IS THE DISCUSSION OF 2020 UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU DATA FOR HARRIS COUNTY EXPLANATION OF PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON REDISTRICTING PLANS, AND RECEIPT OF INITIAL PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING REDISTRICTING PLANS. WE WILL HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE FOLKS IN CHARGE OF THE MAP DRAWING TO GIVE CONTEXT TO THE PUBLIC BUT I WANT TO SAY WE RECEIVED OUR CENSUS RESULTS, THERE IS 4.7 MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS REGION AND THE REGION IS GROWING, THE REGION IS BOOMING AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROCESS. THE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS US IDENTIFY COMMUNITIES THAT NEED TO STAY TOGETHER WHETHER IT IS COMMUNITIES THAT WORSHIP TOGETHER, COMMUNITIES THAT HAV OTHER THINGS IN COMMON, COMMERCIAL, SHARED LINKAGES, SHARED CULTURE, NEIGHBORHOOD . THE INPUT OF EVERYBODY WHO SPEAKS AT THESE MEETINGS WILL HELP US DETERMINE HOW TO BEST MAKE SURE THAT THE BOUNDARIES THAT ARE DRAWN DO NOT DIVIDE COMMUNITIES. AND SO, I AM A VERY HAPPY WE ARE HAVING THIS MEETING BEFORE ANY MAPS ARE DRAWN, I KNOW THIS CAN BE MANY INITIAL DRAFTS DRAWN AND THERE'S GOING TO BE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO VISIT WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S WEBSITE AND MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD.VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. HOPE TO HEAR FROM LOTS OF PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS MEETINGS WE ARE GOING TO HOLD ON REDISTRICTING.
AND SO WE WILL GIVE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO BRIEFLY WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
TWO MEMBERS OF COURT HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? GO AHEAD, COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JUDGE, FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION.
HELLO MY NAME IS NEIL, I'M RESENTED THE HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TODAY. THE JUDGE BRIEFLY MENTIONED THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S MEETING IS THREEFOLD.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE SMART DETAIL ON A PUBLIC INPUT PROCEDURES, WE LIKE TO DISCUSS THE 2020 CENSUS AND FINALLY WE WANT TO START THE PROCESS OF TAKING PUBLIC INPUT.
TO START, I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THESE FOLKS BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL THOSE WATCHING I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR LEGAL TEAM WE HAVE CHAD DONE, WHO CAN SPOTLIGHT OR HIGHLIGHT, WE HAVE ROLANDO RIOS AND CARLA.
WE HIT THOSE ARE OUTSIDE COUNSEL ON THIS MATTER ALONG WITH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE COMMISSIONERS WE WILL BE THE TEAM ON REDISTRICTING. SO MOST FOLKS ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR IN REDISTRICTING AT THE PROCESS OF REDRAWING BOUNDARIES TO REFLECT ROAD PATTERNS AND POPULATION SHIFTS WITHIN A COUNTY AND A PUBLIC INPUT AS THE JUDGE STATED IS IMPORTANT IN THAT PROCESS. THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY WAYS THE FOLKS WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE PUBLIC INPUT ONE WILL BE AT MEETINGS LIKE THESE SO THIS IS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF MEETINGS AND WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC INPUT AT THE END OF THIS. THE SECOND WAY IS A WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL BY JUST WALKING FOLKS THROUGH HOW THEY SHOULD INTERACT IN THAT WEBSITE. AND SO, MY SCREEN SHOULD BE SHARED NOW. SO THE WHERE WE START IS YOU WILL GO TO CIO.HARRIS.COUNTY.GOV WHICH IS THE WEBSITE. WE HAVE AN ICON FOR REDISTRICTING SO YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT.
THIS WILL TAKE YOU TO BASICALLY A REDISTRICTING HOMEPAGE AND THERE'S REALLY SORT OF THREE THINGS TO FOCUS ON AS YOU INTERACT WITH THE WEBSITE. THE FIRST IS WORSENING YOUR MAP IDEAS. SO THE WAY THIS WILL WORK YOU WILL TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND IF YOU REPRESENT AN ORGANIZATION YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU DO AND THEN YOU CAN SAY WHAT THE ORGANIZATION IS. WE WILL ASK YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR PRESENTENCE YOU CAN TYPE IN THE ADDRESS YOU LIKE HERE AND IT WILL POP UP AND IT WILL SHOW YOU WHO YOUR COMMISSIONER IS.
>> EXCUSE ME, NEIL. I AM SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
CAN I GET THE INTERPRETER, THE ASL INTERPRETER TO SPEAK AT LEAST SAY HER NAME AND THAT WEIGHT SHE CAN SHOW ON THE STREAMING WHENEVER IT IS BEEN SHOWN ONLINE.
>> THE INTERPRETER IS WENDY ROSSI.
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>> SO YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT PRECINCT YOU'RE IN AND THEN WE HAVE A SECTION FOR PROVIDING YOUR INPUT.
WE HAVE TWO WAYS YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT INPUT, WHEN YOU CAN DRAW SUGGESTIONS ON THIS MAP BELOW SO YOU HAVE A MAP AND THERE ARE LITTLE INDEX ON WHAT THESE THINGS ARE BUT YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO DRAW AN ARROW, YOU CAN PUT IN A TEXT BOX AND WRITE A COMMENT, HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO IT AND THEN THERE IS A CLEAR BOX THAT YOU CAN PUT IN WHATEVER COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE UNTO THIS DIRECTLY. THE ALTERNATIVE METHOD WILL BE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF MAP SO WE HAVE A FULL RESOLUTION PDF MAP AND THEN UPLOAD IT. EITHER WAY, WORKS.
YOUR INPUT WILL GET TO US. THIS IS THE PART THE JUDGE WAS SAYING WHERE YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMMUNITY AND AT TWO THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AND I WILL KEEP THIS BRIEF, ONE IS HOW YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMMUNITY. WHAT MAKES YOUR COMMUNITY UNIQUE? WHAT IS YOUR SHARED INTEREST? WHAT BRINGS YOUR COMMITTEE TOGETHER? THE SECOND THING TO CONSIDER IS THE PHYSICAL PLACE, HOW DO YOU SITUATE YOUR COMMUNITY? WHEN WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, WE ARE THINKING ABOUT STREETS, BODIES OF WATER, HIGHWAYS, RAILROAD TRACKS, SHOPPING CENTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT IS YOUR COMMUNITY TO YOU AND WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? AND THEN FINALLY, YOU CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. WE ALSO WILL MAKE CLEAR BUT I WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS USING THIS FORUM OR SOMETHING IS NOT WORKING, FEEL FREE TO PUT THAT IN THESE COMMENTS. I WILL REVIEW THESE SO WE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK. DON'T HESITATE IF SOMETHING DOES NOTWORK. WE KNOW THAT IS BOUND TO HAPPEN , PUT YOUR COMMENT IN HERE WE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU.
IN ADDITION TO THE MAP IDEAS WE HAVE A JOINT DISCUSSION PAGE.
THIS PAGE WILL HAVE A RUNNING CALENDAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE THIS MEETING YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SIGN UP, YOU CAN SIGN UP ON THE NORMAL SITE BUT THIS WILL REDIRECT YOU THERE. WE HAVE THE SEPTEMBER 7 MEETING WHERE PROPOSALS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR POSTING.
AS THE JUDGES THAT WERE TAKEN INPUT BEFORE FORMAL PROPOSALS ARE RELEASED AND THEY MAY BEGIN TO BE RELEASED AS OF SEPTEMBER 7. THE OTHER THING ON THE SCHEDULE I WILL MENTION, SOME OF THE SCHEDULE IS GOING TO BE PENDING THE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR. IT IS IN FLUX .
WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT THEIR REDISTRICTING PLAN IS GOING TO BE, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER 10 YEARS AGO THE ELECTION DATES WERE PUSHED WHICH WOULD CHANGE SOME OF THE DAYS OF THE PROCESS. WE WILL WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AND TO BUILD OUT THIS CALENDAR BUT I WANT TO LET FOLKS KNOW THAT TO THE EXTENT THEY ARE NOT SEEN MORE DATES THAT SORT OF IS SOMETHING WE ARE TRYING TO MANAGE BUT WE WILL IN DUE COURSE AND DILIGENTLY PUT UP NEW DATES AS WE HAVE THEM. FINALLY, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A LEARN MORE ABOUT REDISTRICTING PAGE.
THIS IS A REDISTRICTING RESOURCE LIBRARY SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF RESOURCES THAT YOU CAN CONSULT TO HOPEFULLY FEEL MORE EDUCATED AND MORE COMFORTABLE WITH REDISTRICTING.
E ARE HOPEFUL THAT THESE MEETINGS CAN HELP IN THAT REGARD BUT THIS WILL ALSO BE A CENTRAL HUB FOR SUCH INFORMATION. SO THAT IS OUR WEBSITE AND THAT IS SORT OF WILL BE HELPFUL HOW FOLKS CANNOT NAVIGATE THAT AND WE ARE EAGER TO SEE YOUR INPUT. AND NOW I AM GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO MATT ENGEL WHO IS THE COUNTY'SMAPPING CONSULTANT .
JUST TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MATT, MATT IS THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE RELATING TO THE RELEVANT DATA AS WELL AS THE MAPPING SOFTWARE. WHAT HE IS DOING IS HE IS HERE TO FACILITATE THE DRAWING OF THE DISTRICTS AND HELP PROVIDE UNIFORMITY IN THE FORMS OF PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION. HE IS THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE NOW IN THE PUBLIC ANY COMMISSIONERS WITH A DOWNLOAD OF THE 2020 U.S. CENSUS DATA. MATT, I WILL TURN IT TO YOU.
>> NEAL, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY ON THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.
I HAVE GOT A RELATIVELY SHORT PRESENTATION HERE LAYING OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POPULATION AND SOME TRENDS IN THE COUNTY. I WILL SHARE MY SCREEN HERE.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN, SO WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL GO THROUGH
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FIRST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SENTENCE ITSELF STARTING WITH THE BASELINE MAP. THIS IS THE BENCHMARK MAP.THIS IS IN FACT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE MAP THAT WAS ADOPTED IN COMMISSIONERS COURT IN 2011.HE SHADED PART IS THE BOUNDARIES NOW, AGAIN IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE REDLINES THOSE WERE THE PRECINCTS THAT WERE UNDER DISCUSSION AT THE TIME. YOU WILL SEE A TABLE THERE TO THE LOWER LEFT-HAND SIDE. I AM GOING TO ZOOM IN ON THAT.
THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE POPULATION AT THAT TIME AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE POPULATION OF HARRIS COUNTY WAS JUST OVER 4.1 MILLION PEOPLE AT THAT TIME AND THE IDEAL POPULATION FOR EACH DISTRICT WAS JUST OVER 1 MILLION.
THEY WERE CONFIGURED AND THE DEVIATION AT THE TIME IS RIGHT HERE AND AS YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DISTRICTS WERE CONFIGURED WELL WITHIN THE 10PERCENT DEVIATION .
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THEY WERE NOT ALL THE SAME DEVIATION, DISTRICT 2 WAS ABOUT 2.24 PERCENT UNDER THE IDEAL DEVIATION, DISTRICT 3 ABOUT 2.75 OVER.
WITH THE OTHER TWO DISTRICTS ONE AND FOUR PRETTY CLOSE.
TO THE IDEAL POPULATION. THE TABLE DOWN HERE IS THE SAME INFORMATION WITH VOTING AGE POPULATION BROKE DOWN.
WHAT WE WILL DO NOW IS A LOOK AT THE SIMILAR INFORMATION IN THE SAME INFORMATION WITH THE 2020 CENSUS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, HARRIS COUNTY, AS THE JUDGE SAID, IT HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY. IT IS NOW 4.7 MILLION PEOPLE OR A LITTLE OVER THAT. AN INCREASE OF OVER 600,000 PEOPLE. THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH RATE. PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE GROWTH RATE OVERALL, HARRIS COUNTY HAS KEPT PACEWITH THE STATE, THE STATE GREW ABOUT 16 PERCENT , HARRIS COUNTY GREW ABOUT 15.6 PERCENT. THE IDEAL POPULATION SIZE IS ALMOST 1.2 MILLION IN EACH DISTRICT.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE IS THE CURRENT DISTRICT LINE SHOWING THE DEVIATIONS UNDER THE 2020 CENSUS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, DISTRICT 2 IS NOW 10.47 PERCENT UNDER THE IDEAL. WHEREAS DISTRICT 3, 7.25.
SO THOSE TOGETHER ABOUT 17.2 PERCENT OVER THE 10 THAT IS THE ALLOWABLE DEVIATION. CLEARLY THE DISTRICTS WILL HAVE TO BE RECONFIGURED AND BE BROUGHT INTO APPROPRIATE DEVIATION. THE TWO DISTRICTS THAT ARE OUT OF DEVIATION ARE SEPARATED BY THE TWO OTHER DISTRICTS AND SO, OBVIOUSLY THE CONFIGURATION OF ALL THE DISTRICTS WILL NEED TO CHANGE TO SOME DEGREE. THIS TABLE SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT WITH THE BREAKDOWN IN THE BOTTOM TWO TABLES ARE THE SAME INFORMATION WITH VOTING AGE POPULATION. HERE IS THE COUNTY ITSELF BROKEN DOWN BY ETHNICITY COMPARED TO 2010 AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PIE CHARTS AT THE LEFT AS YOU CAN SEE IN 2010 THE HISPANIC POPULATION WAS 40.8 PERCENT, IT HAS GONE UP IT IS 43 PERCENT. THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION KEPT PACE A LITTLE UNDER 19 PERCENT IN 2010 IT IS 19 PERCENT NOW. YOU DO HAVE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE ASIAN POPULATION AND OTHER POPULATION WAS LESS THAN ONE PERCENT IN 2010 AND NOW IT'S OVER 10 PERCENT. SO THAT IS SIGNIFICANT POPULATION CHANGE. IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF CHANGES IN THE COUNTY OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THE DEVIATIONS.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT EVEN THOUGH DISTRICT TO HIS 10 PERCENT BELOW THE IDEAL DEVIATION ALL FOUR OF THESE DISTRICTS ARE GROWING IN POPULATION.
DISTRICT 2 HAS MORE THAN 15,000 MORE PEOPLE AND ANY OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GROWING SIGNIFICANTLY, AS WELL.ND THIS LINE, THE LATER YELLOW LINE IS THE IDEAL DEVIATION IN
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2010, THIS IS THE IDEAL DEVIATION IN 2020, THE ORANGE LINE. CLEARLY THE COUNTY IS GROWING AND THERE IS GROWTH IN EVERY PART OF THE COUNTY WHICH YOU CAN SEE FROM ALL FOUR DISTRICTS HAVING A NET INCREASE IN POPULATION. HERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THE POPULATION. THIS IS THE VOTING TABULATION DISTRICTS SHADED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THEM.I THINK THE 2010 POPULATION IS ON THE LEFT, 2020 POPULATION IS ON THE RIGHT. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A DARKENING AND MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTY BUT ESPECIALLY ON THE OUTER PARTS OF THE COUNTY OUR NORTH, NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST.
ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THAT AND EASIER WAY TO SEE THE CHANGES IS TO TOGGLE BACK AND FORTH. THIS IS 2010 POPULATION AND YOU CAN TOGGLE AND YOU CAN SEE THE DARKENING OF BTG SHOWING AN INCREASE IN THE POPULATION BACK AND FORTH.
AND PARTICULARLY YOU SEE THAT IN THE OUTER EDGES, THAT MAKES SENSE OF COURSE BECAUSE THE OUTER PARTS OF THE COUNTY ARE LESS DEVELOPED SO THAT'S WHAT HE POPULATION ACTUALLY INCREASED WHEREAS THERE IS MORE TRANSITION IN THE MORE DEVELOPED INTERCOUNTY PARTS OF THE AREA.
WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT SOME OF THE POLITICAL TRENDS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST DECADE. WHAT THIS, THESE ARE TWO SHADE MAPS THAT ARE SHADED WITH AS YOU EXPECT THE RED BEING WHERE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES DO BETTER AND THE BLUE BEING WHERE DEMOCRATS CANDIDATES TO DO BETTER.
THE SHADING IS DONE BASED ON THE AVERAGE OF ALL THE CANDIDATES EITHER DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES OR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES, EVERY RACE WHERE THERE WAS BOTH A DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IN COUNTYWIDE RACES.
IN 2012 AND 2020. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS SOME TRANSITION, SOME A TREND ALTHOUGH THE REDDER PARTS OF THE COUNTY THAT ARE MORE PREDTLINANY REPUBLICAN STARTED OUT NORTH AND TO THE EAST AND THE WEST AND WHILE THERE WAS SOME TRANSITION THAT CONTINUES TO BE THE CASE.
CLEARLY, THERE IS SOME LIGHTNING UP AND LIGHTNING UP MORE WHEN YOU GET INTO THE INSIDE OF THE COUNTY.
THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS IS LOOKING AT THE SAME INFORMATION AND THIS IS THE AVERAGE OF ALL RACES IN WHICH THERE WAS BOTH ADEMOCRAT AND A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE COUNTYWIDE . I'VE BROKEN IT UP INTO THE NONPRESIDENTIAL YEARS OR GUBERNATORIAL YEARS AND THE PRESIDENTIAL YEARS. AS YOU CAN SEE THE DECADE STARTED WITH AN NONPRESIDENTIAL YEARS PRETTY STRONG ADVANTAGE BY REPUBLICANS IN THE EARLY PART OF THE DECADE.
AND THEN THERE WAS SOME AND TRENDING DOWN AND THEN WHEN WE GOT TO THE END OF THE DECADE THE DEMOCRATIC ADVANTAGE HAD OVERCOME REPUBLICAN ADVANTAGE. IN THE PRESIDENTIALYEAR , IT STARTED OUT DEMOCRATS HAVING AN ADVANTAGE AND THAT JUMPED A LITTLE AND END WITHREPUBLICANS JUST SLIGHTLY TRENDING DOWN .
IF YOU LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS DISTRICTS ALSO YOU START TO SEE SOME OF THE TRENDS THEY ALSO, THESE ARE THE CONTESTED RACES WITHIN EACH COMMISSIONERS DISTRICT.
PRECINCT 1 IS STRONGLY DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT AND SO THERE WAS ONLY ONE ELECTION IN WHICH THERE WAS AN ACTIVE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE AND THAT WAS IN 2012 THAT WAS EASILY CARRIED BY THE DEMOCRATS. PRESENTED TO STARTED OUT WITH REPUBLICANS SHOWING A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE AND THEN BY THE END OF THE DECADE A SIMILAR SLIGHT ADVANTAGE BY THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE. PRECINCT 3 STARTED OUT AS A REPUBLICAN ADVANTAGE DISTRICT AND ENDED THE DECADE AS EVERY PELICAN ADVANTAGE DISTRICT BUT THERE WAS SOME TRENDING DOWN AMONG REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE A LITTLE BIT TRENDING UP WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PERFORMANCE.
DISTRICT 4 AGAIN EVERY PELICAN ADVANTAGE INCREASING BUT AS WE WENT TO THE DECADE HE SAW THE ADVANTAGE NARROWING SOME AS WE
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GOT TOWARDS THE END OF THE DECADE.SO THAT WAS REALLY THE TOP LINES WE WERE GOING TO SHOW WHAT WE SEE STARTING OUT WITH THIS PROCESS.
>> MATT, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON FROM THE POLITICAL PERFORMANCE CANYOU JUST EXPLAIN WHY YOU HAVE TO COVER THIS , AS WELL, FOR FOLKS.
>> IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS ASKED TO DO WAS TO COVER THE CENSUS AND THEN ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRENDS THAT SHOWED UP AS IT RELATES TO PALOOKA PERFORMANCE.
>> WRITES, WHY WERE YOU ASKED TO, MAYBE NEAL, YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN THIS.
>> THE REASON WE INCLUDE THE APPLICABLE DATA IS THAT IT IS A CONSIDERATION AND AT THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
THE COURTS HAVE SAIDTHAT POLITICAL AFFILIATION IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED IN THIS PROCESS .
AND SO, WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO LOOK AT BECAUSE THE COURTS HAVE SAID IT SOMETHING YOU CAN LOOK AT WHEN YOU DRAW YOUR DISTRICTS.
>> IT BRINGS US BACK TO THE STARTING POINT IN TERMS OF THE TASK AT HAND FOR ME TO BE A RESOURCE TO HELP MAKE A DETERMINATION ON HOW TO TURN THESE DISTRICTS INTO APPROPRIATE DEVIATIONS IN A WAY THAT THE COURT WOULD LIKE.
WITH THAT, NEAL, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE?
>> NO, JUDGE, WE ARE DONE WITH THEIR PRESENTATION SO WE CAN TURN UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS ANYTHING FURTHER?
>> THANK YOU NEAL, AND MATT AND THE WHOLE THING.
[Appearances before court]
WE WILL HEAR FROM SPEAKERS. AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS. I KNOW EVERYONE IS EAGER TO HEAR THE INPUT SO THAT THE MAPS CAN BE DRAWN IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. SO IF YOU COULD BEGIN CALLING UP THE SPEAKERS.>> THE FIRST SPEAKER IS BENJAMIN CHOW AND HE HAS A VISUAL AID. LET ME GET THAT PULLED UP.
>> YOUR HONOR AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS IMPORTANT MEETING AND HAVING ME HERE.
I PROVIDED THREE SLIDES TODAY AND THE FIRST SLIDE THAT YOU WILL SEE IS A SAMPLE DISTRICT HERE.
THIS SAMPLE DISTRICT WAS DRAWN WITHOUT LOOKING AT PARTISANSHIP OR INCUMBENCY. RATHER, IT LOOKS SOLELY AT WHERE THE ASIAN AMERICAN POPULATION IN HARRIS COUNTY CURRENTLY RESIDES. ON THE SECOND SLIDE IS THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AS LAID OUT INSIDE THE COUNTY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS DISTRICT WOULD START IN THE SOUTHWEST AREA OF HARRIS COUNTY AND MOVE EAST TO BEL AIR THE MET CENTER, RACE UNIVERSITY AND AT UH. AND THEN MOVE UP NORTH TOWARDS THE JERSEY VILLAGE, CYPRUS AND THE WILLOWBROOK AREA.
THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A FINAL SUBMISSION OR A DRAFT BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS MAP IS TO CREATE WHAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL AND BEST OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT FOR ASIAN AMERICANS AND HARRIS COUNTY BY TRYING TO PLACE AS MANY ASIAN AMERICANS INTO ONE DISTRICT. AS YOU CAN SEE, IN THE THIRD SLIDE THERE IS A COMPARISON OF THE SAMPLE DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS. THE TOTAL POPULATION AND VOTING AGE POPULATION AS COMPARED TO THE CURRENT PRECINCT 3 WHICH IS THE CURRENT PRECINCT WITH THE LARGEST ASIAN AMERICAN DISTRICT. THE CENSUS NUMBERS HAVE SHOWN ASIAN AMERICANS A PART OF THE FASTEST-GROWING GROUP AND HARRIS COUNTY. HENCE THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING AT LEAST ATTEMPTING TO CREATE AS MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT FOR ASIAN AMERICANS AS POSSIBLE.
THE DISTRICT THAT IS STRONG, DRAWN HERE IS ABLE TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF ASIAN AMERICANS FROM PRECINCT 3 AT AROUND 13 PERCENT TO AT LEAST 17 PERCENT.
WITH MORE EDITING THERE MAY BE WAYS TO POTENTIALLY INCREASE THIS DISTRICTS PERCENTAGE OF ASIAN AMERICANS TO JUST SHORT OF 20 PERCENT. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE COURT TO CREATE THE BEST POSSIBLE ASIAN AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT BY MAXIMIZING WHERE POSSIBLE THE ASIAN AMERICAN POPULATION IN THE PRECINCT. I AM HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE ASK WOULD BE TO GET CLOSER
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TO THE 70 PERCENT?>> YES, YOUR HONOR, ANYTHING CLOSER, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO GET THE ASIAN AMERICAN POPULATION AND THE PRECINCT IS A GOAL TO CREATE AN ASIAN AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNTY ATTORNEY, YOU GUYS ARE LOGGING ALL OF THESE MATERIALS, CORRECT?
>> YES, WE ARE. THE RECORDINGS WILL ALSO GO ON THE WEBSITE SO PEOPLE CAN LISTEN TO THEM LATER.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SEAN EVANS FROM A PEER JUSTICE ORGANIZATION. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON.
I AM LISTENING TO EVERYTHING EVERYONE IS SAYING AND I APPRECIATE THE JUDGE HOW OUR COUNTY HAS GROWN I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT MR. SARKAR STATED WITH THE GROWTH WE HAVE AS WELL.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH THE 20 PERCENT NUMBERS THAT WE ARE AND ALSO ON THE, SOUTH PARK AND THIRD WORLD AND SUNNYSIDE WE NEED TO GROW, WE NEED TO HAVE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR NUMBERS ARE IN THE DRAWING, AS WELL.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE LEVERAGE THAT WE NEED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE OUR VOICE HEARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF POSSIBLE WE CAN BUMP THAT UP FROM 20 PERCENT TO AT LEAST 25 PERCENT BECAUSE UNDERSTANDING THAT IN THE 2020 ELECTION WE WERE UP AT 20 PERCENT AND THEN WE WERE 19 PERCENT AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE IT WAS BETTER THAT WE'RE 17 PERCENT SO I'M WONDERING IF IN FACT WE CAN GET OUR NUMBERS UP TO 25 SO WE CAN GET OUR VOICES HEARD EVEN MORE SO WE CAN GET THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO THOSE COMMUNITIES.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS A NUMBER THREE, LAURA.
>> OKAY, JUDGE, SHE MUST'VE BEEN LOST.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER, NUMBER FOUR, LIZ ALLEN WITH PEER JUSTICE ORGANIZATION.O AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> GREETINGS AND THANK YOU JUDGE HIDALGO AND PANEL MEMBERS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO?
>> GREETINGS, MY NAME IS LIZ ALLEN AND I'M HERE WITH MY ORGANIZATION. JUSTICE.
I AM HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP MY COMMUNITY WHICH IS GENERALLY NOT REPRESENTED IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
AS A TAXPAYERS WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO NOT ONLY EXERCISE OUR RIGHTS TO VOTE BUT TO ALSO SPEAK AND HAVE OUR VOICES HEARD ON MATTERS THAT MOST LIKELY BASED ON THE PAST AND THE UNDENIABLE ACTIVITIES OF THE PRESENT WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT DECADE.
WE NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THE REDISTRICTING WILL IMPACT THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AND SERVICES AS WELL AS A POLITICAL AGENDA.
AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION. THEREBY DETERMINING WHO GETS ELECTED TO OFFICE. AS SOLUTIONS MY COMMUNITY THE UNDERSERVED, UNDERREPRESENTED, DESERVE NUMBER ONE AN EXPLANATION OF WHY LINES ARE DRAWN THE WAY THEY ARE AND PARTICULARLY IF THEY DO NOT ADDRESS OUR NEEDS.
AND NUMBER TWO, MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE INPUT ON THE DRAFTING OF THE MAPS.
I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THE PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION THAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY INFORMED AND AVAILABILITY FOR INPUT.
BASED ON YOUR PRESENTATION EARLIER THIS EVENING.
I GIVE THE FLOOR BACK TO THE JUDGE AND THE PANEL MEMBERS.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER SIX, KENT ROGERS WITH PEER JUSTICE ORGANIZATION.
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>> GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS KEN ROGERS AND REP IS ANY PEER JUSTICE AND HOUSTON IN ACTION. I AM PLEADING, PLEADING PLEASE CONSIDER THE VOTING STRENGTH OF THE UNDERSERVED AS YOU REDRAW THESE LINES. WE ARE ALREADY FIGHTING GENTRIFICATION AND AS YOU GENTRIFY THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THE THIRD WARD WHERE I AM AND IT DIMINISHES OUR VOTING POWER.
AND SO, I AM ASKING YOU THAT YOU WOULD AT LEAST CONSIDER KEEPING THESE NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE REPRESENTATION IN ALL OF THE COUNTY WIDE ELECTIONS. GIVE US THAT STRENGTH TRAFFIC PEOPLE TO SPEAK FOR US AND CONSIDER US IN ALL THESE SITUATIONS THAT POP UP. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NUMBER FIVE, REVEREND JAMES CALDWELL WITH PEER JUSTICE ORGANIZATION.
>> GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU JUDGE HIDALGO AND THE REST OF THE PANEL AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS REVEREND JAMES CALDWELL AND I'M THE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF COCOA AND I BEEN RESENTING PEER JUSTICE AND HOUSTON IN ACTION.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE ON BEHALF OF MY COMMUNITY WHICH IS THE THIRD WARD. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER EFFORTS ARE MADE IN REGARD TO WHAT REDISTRICTING ARE ADDRESSING THE ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE MUST FIRST CONSIDER THE RED LINE, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY AS I AM DOING NOW HAVE AT THEIR VOICE IN THOSE CHANGES. I WASTELLING MY STORY , WHAT MAKES OUR HISTORY, CULTURE AND IDENTITY, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE BE DESTROYED, BE DELUDED JUST COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE HAVE MAPPED OUR COMMUNITY AND WE WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS WE HAVE DISCOVERED THE HOUSING ISSUES, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, OUR DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE CHANGED GREATLY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CULTURE IS MAINTAINED, OUR CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED AND THAT THE COUNT STRENGTHENS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS FOR SPECIFIC SOLUTION, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT SHOULD THE COUNTY OR ENTITY MAKE A REDISTRICTING OR REGROWING OF THE LINES THAT IT IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE AND THAT THEY PROVIDE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY ITSELF INPUT ON THE DRAFT MAP AND THAT WE PLEASE PRODUCE A REPORT EXPLAINING WHY LINES ARE DRAWN IN THE WAY THEY ARE IN THE MAPS AND THE MAPS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WILL CONSIDER . WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE PRESENTED TO US AT A FUTURE HEARING TO EXPLAIN WHY LINES ARE DRAWN THE WAY THEY ARE ON THE MAP THE COMMISSIONERS WILL CONSIDER FOR A VOTE. TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT IS BEEN SHARED WITH YOU AND THAT EQUITY ABOVE ALL ASPECTS BE INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT IS A NUMBER I'M SORRY NUMBER EIGHT MAITLAND.
>> MY NAME IS MAY IN PART OF DOCTORS FOR AMERICA AND HOUSTON IN ACTION. I'M ASKING YOU TO KEEP DIFFERENT COMMITTEES WHOLE FOR THE REGION SHIFTING PROCESS AND SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITIES FOR INTEREST TO HAVE IT REPRESENTATION THEY CHOOSE AND NOT ELECTED OFFICIALS CHOOSING THEIR VOTERS. PREVENTION AND HEALTH IN ALL POLICIES I THINK EVERY COMMUNITY DESERVES TO HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PUBLIC EDUCATION, PARKS, WALKING, BIKE TRAILS, COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, DAYCARE AND NURSING FACILITIES, HEALTHY PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS STRENGTHEN EVERYONE ABLE TO GET HEALTHY AND WELL BEING.
I ASK YOU PLEASE PROVIDE AUTHENTIC PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
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THROUGHOUT THE REGION PROCESS, PROVIDE THE PUBLIC MULTIPLE OBJECTS TO BRIGHT INPUT ON DRAFT MAPS AND PLEASE PRODUCE A REPORT EXPLAINING WHY THE LINES ARE DRAWN THE WAY THEY ARE ON THE MAP OR MAPS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL CONSIDER FOR A VOTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU TODAY.>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MARLA LOPEZ.
SHE HAS A VISUAL AID SHE WILL BE PRESENTING SO LET ME PULL THAT UP. MARLA, YOU CAN GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> MY NAME IS MARLA LOPEZ AND A PART OF THE EDUCATION FUND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. I LIVE IN PRISON FOR WHICH IS PART OF THE JERSEY VILLAGE AREA ON THE MAP YOU CAN SEE THAT I MOVED HERE JUST AFTER THE WINTER STORM IN FEBRUARY AND I'M TESTIFYING TODAY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY COMMUNITY AND WAYS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HARRIS COUNTY CAN BE INCLUDED FAIRLY IN THE PROPER'S PROCESS OF REJOINDER MAP.
MY APARTMENT I CAN HEAR A LOT OF RACING TOMY APARTMENT I DO SEE A LOT OF YOUNG FAMILIES . I THINK THIS AREA IS A MIX OF NEW AND ESTABLISHED FAMILIES. THERE'S A LOT OF ACCESS TO RESOURCES LIKE GROCERY STORES, BUSINESSES AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE HIGHWAY AND I SEE A LOT OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR ESPECIALLY YOUNG FAMILIES WHO WORK, LIVE OR VISIT PLACES AND AT THIS AREA ON THE MAP.
THERE ARE A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE RESPONSES TO LOCAL DISASTERS. THERE IS ESPECIALLY A GAP IN A LANGUAGE ACCESS TO RESOURCES LIKE INFORMATION FROM A LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ESPECIALLY IN LANGUAGES IN A SPANISH AND OTHER ASIAN LINKAGES. I THINK RIGHT NOW MANY OF THE NEWER FAMILIES ESPECIALLY SINGLE FAMILIES LIVE IN THE APARTMENTS SUCH AS MINE IN THE SOUTHWEST AREA OF THE MAP, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THESE COMMUNITIES TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS.
THAT PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER OR DIVIDED AND THE RESULTING MAP. MY ASK OF YOU ON THE COURT IS THAT RESIDENTS AND HARRIS COUNTY ARE GIVEN A FAIR CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE AND BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A WAY THAT IS MEANINGFUL ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND KNOW OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CONSEQUENCES.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE AND FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN MY COMMUNITY WITH BRIGHT FUTURES.
AND IF THERE'S ENOUGH RESOURCES AND SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY WE CAN REALLY THRIVE ESPECIALLY WITH DISASTER STRIKES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THERE SHOULD BE WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE IN THE DRAWING OF MAPS, I THINK THE WEBSITE IS REALLY COOL BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY LANGUAGE OPTIONS ON THERE.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE USE THIS TOOL LIKE THE WEBSITE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AMPLIFY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY. WE NOTE ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMITTEES WHO NOT ONLY HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE PROCESS BUT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST EACH OTHER.
PLEASE GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO REVIEW THE MAPS I THINK THAT THE RATIONALE OF THIS COURT THE MAP WOULD BE GREAT ESPECIALLY TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY AND NECESSARY ENGAGEMENT.
WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AND REMIND.
>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER NINE, JOHNSON WITH PEER JUSTICE ORGANIZATION. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> GOVERNING I AM A SEAMUS WATSON WITH PEER JUSTICE.
I STAND BEFORE YOU AS A COMMITTED AND TRUSTED MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY WHOSE VOICE HAS BEEN DILUTED IN HIS RIGHT HAS BEEN DENIED. I CARE NOT ABOUT LOCAL DIVIDING THE LAWS AND LIBERTIES OF RESIDENTS AND STAKE HOLDERS ARE COMPLETELY IGNORED AND ELIMINATED.
DURING THIS MEETING PANDEMIC WHILE VOTER SUPPRESSION EFFORTS WE ARE FIGHTING FOR THE SAME THINGS OUR FOREFATHERS AND MOTHERS DID LIKE THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.
COMMISSIONER RAMSEY COULD YOU TELL US WHAT THAT'S ABOUT? HOW THE WAS DESIGNED TO COMBAT RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ABOUT THE VOTING AND REJECTING PROCESS. SO I FEEL RESPONSIBLE SAINT REGIS STUDENTS SHOULD BE DOING COHESION RATHER THAN DIVISION.
MUCH LIKE USING OUT THROUGHOUT HARRIS COUNTY, HERE'S A FACT THAT TEXAS HAS BEEN FOUND IN VIOLATION OF THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT EVERY DECADE SINCE HAS BEEN ENACTED.
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IN THE LAST 10 YEARS IS SO MUCH IS CHANGE.TEXAS IS THE THIRD STATE BEHIND UTAH AND IDAHO WITH 90 PERCENT ARE BLACK, LATINO AND ASIAN BUT WERE STILL MISREPRESENTED IN CONGRESS AND ITS CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT IN THE STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS CHOOSE THEIR CONSTITUENTS RATHER THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND. GERRYMANDERING SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS A FELONY BECAUSE INTENTIONALLY AND KNOWINGLY HAS RESULTS THAT ARE OPPRESSIVE. IT DECADE OLD EMAILS HAS BEEN EXPOSED PROVINGTHAT THE ATTEMPT OF LAWMAKERS WAS THE ADVANCE , GERRYMANDERING IS GETTING IN THE WAY OF A RECALL OF FIELD MAPS. WHICH IS FAIR USE OF , FAIR CHANCE HIRING MY FAIR TRADE PRACTICES.
THE SPACE WHEN DECISIONS ARE MADE TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE THAT THEY SHOULD GET IN THE WAY OF EQUITY AND NOTHING SHOULD GET THE WAY OF FAIRNESS. UNFAIR REJECTING CREATES FAKE DISTRICTS WHICH IS ON UNCONTESTED OR UNCOMMITTED ELECTIONS LEADING TO VOTER REDUCED VOTER TURNOUT.
AND NOTHING ANY OF YOU WANTED THIS TO CONTINUE RETURNING.
BY PARTICIPATING IN LOCAL ELECTIONS.
EVERYONE HERE ON THE DAIS REPRESENTING TUPELO PARTIES SHOULD BE MOTIVATED TO ACTUALLY PASS MEANINGFUL REDISTRICTING REFORM WITH THESE THINGS IN MIND.
PUBLICLY ENGAGE IN COURT REGISTERED IN AN APPARENT THINK THAT HE IS A WHOLE TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS.
I'M IMPLYING INCLUSIVITY FOR THE REGISTRY AND HARRIS COUNTY BECAUSE I MAPS DRAWN FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE ANY CHANGES ARE FINAL.
ANY NEW MAP SHOULD ABSENTLY ENSURE BOTH THE VOICE AND THE PEOPLE UNSERVED COMMUNITIES AND TRANSFERS IT SHOULD BE APPLIED AS OF THE MAP PROCESS THE COMMUNITY THOSE TRUTH STANDARD IDENTIFIES NOT RACISM AND CLASSISM.
BLACK AND BROWN COMMITTEES AND HARRIS COUNTY HAVE EXPRESSED ENOUGH. IT IS PAST TIME WE SPEAK UP AND TAKE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE OUR AREAS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. FOR VOTING PARTY IS DILUTED TO THE POINT THAT OUR VOTES ARE RENDERED INEFFECTIVE IN CHOOSING OUR PARTICLE REPRESENTATION THAT WE WILL CONTINUE SUFFERING IN THE SAME OUTCOME WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO AND MARGINALIZED IN UNDERSERVED AREAS LIKE SUNNYSIDE, SOUTH PARK ENTERED WARD ARE ALSO PART OF HER COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ACT UPON THE CIVIC DUTIES TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING DURING THE REDISTRICT PROCESS BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS OUR COMMUNITY LIKE WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY.
>> WHOEVER IS CALLING TIME, I CANNOT HEAR YOU, YOU ARE NOT VERY LOUD.
>> MAYBE YOU CAN GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE.
>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 11 JENNIFER WHEN AND SHE HAS A VISUAL AID. JENNIFER, GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER M OVERTURE COLLEGE STUDENT AT RICE UNIVERSITY WHO GREW UP IN THE SUBURBS OF TEXAS.
MY FAMILY CURRENTLY RESIDES IN THE CENTRAL AREA OF TEXAS AND I'M JUST FINE TODAY TO MAKE SURE MY COMMITTEE IS KEPT WHOLE AND INCLUDED IN THE REDISTRICT IN PROCESS.
BOUNDARIES OF MY OWN COMMUNITY ARE HIGHWAY SIX AND A 5.9 AS YOU CAN SEE IN MY VISUAL. THIS COMMUNITY INCLUDES FAMILIES FROM I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA SINCE 2000 AND WE ARE COSSETED BY VERY HARD-WORKING DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
MANY OF MY CLASSMATES WERE FIRST-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS AND ENGLISH EQUITY IN SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, VIENNESE AND ARABIC AND SO MUCH MORE. WHO WORKED HARD TO FIND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES AND MANY OF US HAD TO DRIVE EXTRA MOUSE TO FIND A PLACE WHERE OUR PARENTS WELCOME TO BE COMMUNICATED WITH PROVIDERS.
IN THE PAST AND PRESENT THEIR HAVE BEEN MANY PROBLEMS WITH FLOODING AND POWER OUTAGES DURING HURRICANES WHICH IMPACTED OUR DAILY LIVES AS STUDENTS AND WORKERS.
GROWING UP THERE WERE MANY ROADS THAT WERE EXTREMELY NARROW, ROUGH AND UNSAFE TRAVEL ESPECIALLY DOWN OLD GREENHOUSE ROAD WHICH WE NEED TO GET HER HIGH SCHOOL.REDISTRICT AND I BELIEVE MY COMMUNITY SHOULD COME TOGETHER AND COMMUNICATE THE ISSUES IN OUR AREA WITH OUR REP INCENTIVES.
HOWEVER THE BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW THAT MY COMMUNITY IS DIVIDED IS TO TWO DISTRICTS THREE AND FOUR DIFFERENT WE ARE RIBS AND BY TWO DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS.
RAMSEY AND CAGLE. BY HAVING A SHARED VALUES AND PRINTABLE'S MY CLASSMATES ARE IN PRISON FOR AND I'M IN PRECINCT 3. MY EXPENSE IS VASTLY DIFFERENT FOR MY OWN COMMUNITY. IT SOUND LIKE A SPECIFICALLY A HIGHER INCOME THAN MY AREA. MY ASK ON BEHALF OF MY COMMUNITY AND THE PROCESS OF A JOINT COUNTY PRECINCT MAPS ARE THAT MY COMMITTEE HAS PRESERVED WHOLE SO THAT OUR PEOPLE OF COLOR GROUPS ARE NOT DIVIDED OR DILUTED ON ANY MATTER.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE PROVIDED WITH A REPORT WITH RATIONALE THAT EXTENDS WHITE THEY ARE DRAWNTHE WAY THEY ARE ON MAPS THAT COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL CONSIDER FOR A VOTE .
>> THANK YOU AND THE NAME OF YOUR COMMUNITY?
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I CANNOT ZOOM IN ENOUGH ON THE IMAGE HERE.>> IT'S CYPRESS LAKES, CYPRESS SPRINGS.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE SWITCHING INTERPRETERS TO ASL INTERPRETER WENDY ROSSI.
>> NEXT IS NUMBER 12, CONTRACTOR OF M GAGE.
>> GOOD EVENING JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONER COURT AND THOSE LISTENING. I AM HERE WITH MY ORGANIZATION EMMETT GAGE. I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO ENSURE THAT ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES DO NOT HAVE THEIR POWER DILUTED. BY BEING DIVIDED ALONG PRECINCT LINES. I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF MISCONDUCT. ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMITTEES ARE DILUTED ACROSS THE MAP OF HARRIS COUNTY AS A RESULT OF THE CHERRY PICKED RESULTS OF THE 2010 CENSUS.
CULTURAL CENTERS LIKE CHINATOWN ARE A BYPRODUCT OF THE COMMUNITIES OF THIS DIVERSE COUNTY AND AND HAVE A DESIRE TO CONGREGATE TO SHARE CULTURE AND BELIEFS.
OUR DESIRE TO BUILD COMMUNITY SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IN THIS REGION SEARCHING PROCESS AS WE STRUGGLE TO TACKLE ISSUES THAT PUT EVERY COMMUNITY SUCH AS EDUCATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS AND REPRESENTATION.
MY ORGANIZATION AND I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH LEADERS LIKE NEW RESIDENTS WITH THE ASIAN COMMUNITY TO LEARN WHO RESENTS THEIR COMMUNITY. IT WAS CLEAR THAT ENSURING THEY ARE KEPT TOGETHER AND WERE PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR PROSPERITY.
THESE COMMUNITY LEADERS INCLUDE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESS LEADERS. A COMMON THEME AMONG MY COMMISSIONS WOULD BE THE DESIRE TO PROTECT THE COMMITTEE'S INTEREST WHICH CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE CREATION OF AN INCLUSIVE MAP THAT ALLOWS OUR COMMUNITY TO SHARE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS TO STAY TOGETHER.
SINCE THE 2010 CENSUS RESULTS WOULD GRAPPLE WITH THE IMPACT OF MARGINALIZED AND NONINCLUSIVE REDISTRICTING THIS DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY'S.
MINORITY COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY DENIED ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND SERVICES AND UNABLE TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY FOR US TO THRIVE. AS YOU BEGIN ENJOYING THESE MAPS PLEASE CONTINUE TO SEEK PUBLIC INPUT BECAUSE THE RAMIFICATION OF AN EQUITABLE MAPS WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY PROSPERITY FOR DECADES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS NUMBER 13, NIKKI WITH EMMETT GAGE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS, I'M HERE WITH M GAGE. HARRIS COUNTY IS WHERE I WAS BORN, WHERE I ATTENDED LAW SCHOOL AND WHERE IS THAT MUCH OF MY ADULT LIVING AND WORKING AND VOLUNTEERING.
I'M HERE TO ASK THE CASE FOR TRANSPARENCY IN THE REGION SEARCHING PROCESS AND INCLUSION FOR MINORITY VOTERS WHICH GENERALLY THE API AND NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING COMMITTEES. THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION MAKES FEWER REQUIREMENTS AND PROVIDES LITTLE GUIDANCE FOR OFFICIALS AS THEY REDRAW DISTRICTS. THIS CYCLE IS THE FIRST STRING IN WHICH THE COUNTY HAS NOT SUBMITTED THE MAP TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT UNDER THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
THE COMMISSIONER COURT REDUCING AND IN 2011 IT WAS SUED FOR LITERALLY VIOLATING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND THE EQUAL PROTECTION LAW OF THE 14TH OF EMMETT.
THE COURT AT THE TIME DID PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT BUT THE PUBLISHING INCREASING DID NOT TAKE THEIR VOTES INTO COUNT AND DO NOT TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY AND DREW MAPS BASED ON RACIALLY DISCRIMINATE STRAIGHT AND TENSE. IT TOOK OVER TWO YEARS TO RESOLVE AND BECAUSE OF THE LITIGATION THE 2012 ELECTION USED MAPS PROVIDED BY PANEL OF FEDERAL JUDGES.
THIS EXPENSIVE AND PROTECTIVE LITIGATION IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS DON'T FEEL HEARD.
I URGE THIS COURT TO CONDUCT RESEARCH AND IT TRANSFERS TO AND ACCESSIBLE THIS TIME AROUND.
THE REDISTRICTING CRITERIA PUBLISHED IN JULY, THEY DON'T CONTAIN ANY PRINCIPLES ADDRESSING TRANS PRINTING AND CONCLUSION TEMPERATURES SPECIFICALLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH.
THE COMMUNITY STICKLERS IN THE PROCESS I REQUESTED THIS COURT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WRITTEN COMMENTS AVAILABLE AND THE SAME LANGUAGES AND THE LANGUAGES LIKE SPANISH, VIETNAMESE.
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CONTINUE TO PROVIDE INTERPRETERS FOR MEMBERS WHO WISH TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY WITH INTERPRETERS THEY PROVIDE THEMSELVES. VIRTUAL TESTIMONY, AND MAKES THE PROCESS FOR THOSE WHO CAN TRIP TO THE COURT IN PERSON.FURTHER, HIRES THE COURT TO CONVICT TO CONSIDER THE MAPS BY THE COMMITTEE PROVIDING THE WEBSITE PORTAL FOR THE COMMITTEE TO SUBMIT MAPS SUCH AS UNITY MAPS.
SUBMIT PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY IT WAS SUGGESTIONS MADE BY THE COMMUNITY I ALSO AS THIS COURT PROVIDE ANALYSIS ABOUT HOW THIS VITAL MAP AFFECTS API COMMUNITIES AND HOW API PINCHES THE CANONS OF THEIR CHOICE. A MINIMUM TWO WEEKS NOTICE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ONCE IT PUBLISHES ITS PROPOSED MAP.
REDISTRICTING IS INHERENTLY A PROCESS LED BY INTERESTED PARTIES. THE CHURCH HAS BEEN REDUCING PROCESS FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAN PARTICIPATE AND FEEL HEARD IS CRUCIAL IN THE PROCESS.
>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 14, SHIRLEY WITH THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSFORMATION. SHE HAS REQUESTED A VISUAL AID.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGES AND COMMISSIONERS MY NAME IS SHIRLEY. I'M A COMMITTEE ORGANIZER COFOUNDER OF THE DEFERMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 2, I'M HERE SO THAT MY NEIGHBORS AND MY FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY ARE HEARD AND INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS OF REDRAWING THE COUNTY MAP. WHY? BECAUSE MY COMMITTEE COUNSEL HE FACES MANY ISSUES WITH POTABLE WATER ACCESS. THESE ISSUES HAVE COST US OUR HOME AND COMMITTEE AND HEALTH OF MY NEIGHBORS.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO LIVE LIKE THIS.
THE COUNTY PRESENT MAPS REDRAWN MY HOPE IS THAT MY COMMITTEE IS READY COMMITTEES ARE KEPT TOGETHER SO AS A COMMUNITY WE CAN WORK TOWARDS REAL SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THESE AND MANY OTHER ISSUES WE HAVE IN COMMON. CURRENTLY, MY COMMUNITY IS A COMMISSIONER GARCIAS DISTRICT, THIS COMMUNITY IS ONE OF IMMIGRANTS, FIRST AND SECOND GENERATION FAMILIES AND HARD-WORKING PEOPLE. WE SPEAK SPANISH AND ENGLISH TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY ARE AREAS DID NOT RECEIVE BETTER DRAINAGE DURING THE FLOODS. MY COMMUNITY IS NESTLED BETWEEN 59 AND HARDY TO LITTLE YORK AND BELTWAY EIGHT WHICH ARE BETWEEN THE AIRPORTAND DOWNTOWN AREAS. WE DO NOT HAVE A STREETLIGHTS IN OUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND SIDEWALKS .
WE DO NOT HAVE COMMUNICATION IN THE LANGUAGES OF OUR NEIGHBORS FOR THE COUNTY PRECINCTS FOR EXAMPLE, I STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE COUNTY REQUEST FORM IS ONLY IN ENGLISH WHEN I WAS TOLD WE WANT AN INCLUSIVE COUNTY.
MY REQUEST FOR MY COMMUNITY AND THE PROCESS OF DRAWING COUNTY MAPS IS THAT RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HARRIS COUNTY ARE INCLUDED SINCE WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND KNOW OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE POLICY FIRSTHAND.
ESPECIALLY THE OPTIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAWING TO REVEAL MAPS AND AWAY THAT ARE TRANSPARENT AND IN OUR NATIVE LABOR JUSTICE OR SPANISH SPEAKING MEMBERS CAN PARTICIPATE. WE ARE GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO REMAP AND PROVIDER INPUT. WE PROVIDED REPORTS WITH THE RATIONALE THAT EXPLAINS WHITE LINES ARE DRAWN TO THE WAY THEY ARE ON THE MAP OR THE MAP THE COMMISSIONER BOARD WILL CONSIDER FOR VOTES. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY TESTIMONY. I LOOK FOR TO PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS .
>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 16, DIANE. SHE IS ALSO REQUESTED VISUAL AID.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS DIANA I AM A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 4. I LIVE IN THE AREA OF SPRING BRANCH BETWEEN THE ROADS. I AM HERE SO THAT MY COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY MY UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITY IS HEARD AND INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS OF REDRAWING OUR COUNTY MAPS.
RECENTLY MY COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SEEKING PROBLEMS WITH FLOODING AND WHAT I SUSPECT TO BE GENTRIFICATION.
THAT MAY EXPLAIN, IT HAS BEEN GETTINGWORSE YEAR AFTER YEAR .
IN MY PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD WE HAVE SEEN HIGH WATERS DUE TO THE DEVELOPING OF NEW TOWNHOMES.
I'M NOT AGAINST REDEVELOPMENTS BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO AVOID ANY SORT OF FLOODING SHOULD ALWAYS BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. I'VE ALSO NOTICED AN INCREASE IN NEW PROJECTS AND A SPRING BRANCH WHICH MAKE NEXT MEETS US EXPECT JUSTIFICATION IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE.
I'M AFRAID SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ALREADY PUSHED OUT THE
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LATINO POPULATION. PROPERTY TAXES ARE ALSO ON THE RISE AND THIS COULD BE ANOTHER FACTOR IN DISLOCATING THE MOST VULNERABLE. WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF COUNTY PRESENT MAPS REDRAWN MY HOPE IS THAT MY COMMITTEE AND IS READY COMMITTEES ARE KEPT TOGETHER SO WE CAN WORK TOWARDS REAL SOLUTIONS. MY COMMUNITY IS COMMISSIONER CAGLE'S DISTRICT. IT'S RICH IN CULTURE.WE ARE HOME TO MANY IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND MANY FAMILIES ARE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. THEY SPEAK SPANISH, KOREAN AND ENGLISH TO NAME A FEW. ANY CULTURAL DIFFERENCES EXIST WE WORK WELL TOGETHER. I LOVE SPRING BRANCH AND THE PEOPLE IN IT. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2001 AND HOPE TO BE A RESIDENT OF MY COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. MY DEMANDS FOR MY COMMITTEE IN THE PROCESS OF DRAWING PRESENT MAPS IS EVER GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO REVIEW THESE MAPS AND TO PROVIDE OUR INPUT.
WE ARE PROVIDED A REPORT WITH THE REASONS THAT EXPLAIN WHITE THE LINES ARE DRAWN AND THE WAY THEY ARE DRAWN ON THE MAP.
LASTLY, THERE SHOULD BE OPTIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAWINGS AND REVIEW OF MAPS IN WAYS THAT ARE TRANSPARENT AND HELP PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT NEEDS AND LINKAGES.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY TESTIMONY AND I LOOK FOR TO PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS WITH ALL OF YOU IN MY COMMUNITY AND HARRIS COUNTY.HANK YOU.
>> NEXT IS NUMBER 17, JUAN CARDOZA OF HOUSTON IN ACTION.
>> COUNTY LEADERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS JUAN CARDOZA AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF A PUBLIC POLICY FOR HOUSTON IN ACTION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING AND SEEKING PUBLIC INPUT TODAY. THIS IS A GREAT START AND I SEE IT AS A BEGINNING OF A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE WITH COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND HOUSTON IN ACTION IS A COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZATION PROMOTING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS SPECIFIC ANTICIPATION.
OUR ORGANIZATIONS WORK IN A HOST OF ISSUES.
EACH OF OUR MEMBERS COUNT ON THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, LIKE YOU, TO LIFT UP THEIR VOICES.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND AUTHENTIC PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS. PARTICULARLY LATER ON IN THE REGISTERED IN PROCESS. AFTER TODAY'S HEARING WE REQUEST A MINIMUM OF TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, WHEN IT TO OCCUR AFTER THE INITIAL DRAFT AND THE SECOND AFTER DRAFT MAPS ARE FINALIZED FOR A VOTE BY COMMISSIONERS.
HAVING AT LEAST TWO HEARINGS WILL GIVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW MAPS AND PROVIDE INPUT AT MULTIPLE POINTS IN THE PROCESS. THE COURT AND COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SHOULD ALSO INCORPORATE THIS PUBLIC INPUT IN THE MAPS YOU WILL DEVELOP. LIKE OTHERS SPEAKERS THAT WE WOULD LIKE THE MAP PRESENTERS TO PRESENT ON THE FINAL MAPS WE LIKE THEM TO EXPLAIN WHY THE BOUNDARIES ARE DRAWN THE WAY THEY ARE. AND WE WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR ANY MAPS ON THE FINAL CONSIDERATION FOR A VOTE LATER ON IN THE FALL TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A RATIONALE REPORT.
THIS REPORT SHOULD EXCITE ANY DEVIATIONS FROM ADDITIONAL REDISTRICTING PRINCIPLES INCLUDING PRESENT SPLITS AND POPULATION DEVIATIONS. IT WOULD ALSO LIKE THE COUNTY AND COMMISSIONERS COURT TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH TWO WEEKS NOTICE BEFORE THE PROPOSED FINALIZED MAPS ARE CONSIDERED FOR VOTES. THIS WILL ALLOW THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM TODAY THEY HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THIS HEARING THE OPPORTUNITY TO YOU TO IT WILL GIVE THEM TIME TO PROVIDE INPUT, ANALYZE THE MAPS AND PROPOSE CHANGES TO THE MAPS. ALONG THOSE LINES OF FINALIZED MAPS ANY AMENDMENTS THAT HAPPENED BEFORE A VOTE WE WOULD ALSO LIKE FIVE DAYS ADVANCE NOTICE SO WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THEM SO THE PUBLIC CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THEM AND ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST THEM. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THIS HEARING FOR LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU .
>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 18, DEBORAH OF GREATER HOUSTON.
>> I AM DEBORAH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR OF OC GREATER HOUSTON AND HOUSTON ACTION.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3. THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS
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EVENING'S PUBLIC HEARING ON IT REDISTRICTING.I ASKED THAT THIS ENTITY ENDEAVORS TO KEEP THE ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY WHOLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT COMMITTEES OF INTEREST SUCH AS ASIA TOWN, CHINATOWN AREA ARE ABLE TO HAVE FAIR REPRESENTATION AND THAT THE NEEDS OF THE AREA ARE REPRESENTED IN THE HOLISTIC MANNER.
THE ASIA TOWN, CHINATOWN AREA IF YOU NEED THE NUMBER OF BOTH RESIDENTIAL COMPASSES AND RESIDENTIAL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS.
THIS AREA HAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT, RELIGIOUS SERVICES THAT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF OUR COMMUNITY TO NOT BE SPLIT AS PART OF IT IS CURRENTLY. I COMMEND THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSFERENCE AS IT DEMONSTRATED WITH TONIGHT HEARING.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND A TIMELY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE A PUBLIC INPUT ON PROPOSED MAPS. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A ROLE MODEL FOR OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES IN TEXAS.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 19.
>> HELLO JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS AND ALTHOUGH WHO SHARED THEIR NARRATIVE TODAY. I'M HERE WITH MY ORGANIZATION AND GAUGE. I'M HERE TO ENSURE THAT ASIAN AMERICAN COMMITTEES ARE NOT DIVIDED UNDER PRESENT LINES.
IT IS NOT JUST, THERE'S A NETWORK OF PEOPLE YOU'RE ABLE TO FOSTER COMMODITY WITH. THIS NETWORK EXPENSE IS THAT OF POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP IT IS DEFINED BY COMMON VALUES AND COMMON EXPERIENCES. THE REDISTRICT IMPRESSES THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL MARGINALIZED GROUPS THAT ARE CONGEALING NEGLECTED. A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THIS IS IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY'S. AS A FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN MYSELF I'M WELL AWARE OF HOW LITTLE ENGAGEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE ALLOCATED TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE LACK POLITICAL INFLUENCE. SOUTHWEST HOUSTON IS HOME TO REFUGEE ANDIMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES SUCH AS SEVERAL DIASPORA COMMUNITY , THOSE WHO CAME HERE FOR A BETTER LIFE.
THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY ASIAN AMERICAN COMMITTEES AS A WHOLE ARE SPLINTERED BY THE REGISTERED IN PROCESS. THE INABILITY TO PRESENT HERSELF IN THE VOTING HAS LED TO DIRECT LACK OF REPRESENTATION . IT PREVENTS MY COMMITTEE FROM GETTING RESOURCES DESPITE OUR NEED FOR THEM LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ALL IMPACT US BUT I NOTICE THE REDUCING PROCESS PREVENTS EQUABLE ALLOCATION OF SERVICES.
OMMITTEES LIKE MYSELF ARE ABLE TO VOTE THE CULTURE OF POTABLE NEGLECTED SO DEEPLY ROOTED THAT WE STRUGGLE TO BE A PART OF ANY POLITICAL APPARATUS.
EVEN WHEN WERE ABLE TO SURMOUNT EVEN THAT HURDLE OUR FOES ARE DELUDED BY GERRYMANDERING. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HARRIS COUNTY TO OPEN THIS UP TO THE PUBLIC AND I IMPLORE THEM TO TAKE THE MAPS THAT PEOPLE ON THE GROUND HAVE CREATED INTO ACCOUNT WHEN REDRAWING LINES THAT DEFINE EVERYTHING FROM EDUCATION INTO LIKELIHOOD TO EVEN MORTALITY FOR COMMITTEES LIKE MY OWN. GIVE US THE TIME AND SPACE TO PROVIDE INSIGHT. CREATE AND ABSOLUTIZE THEM AND GIVE US A CONCRETE REPORT ABOUT THE LINES THAT COME FROM THIS PROCESS. AND HOW THEY ARE DRAWN TO BE EQUABLE AND FAIR. THE REGISTERED IN PROCESS GIVE US THE TIME TO MAKE THAT RIGHT. IT'S MEANT TO BUILD COMMUNITY NOT BREAK THEM.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS NUMBER 20 PATRICIA WILLIAMS. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> GOOD EVENING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT JOB THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR HARRIS COUNTY. I THINK WE ARE THE PREMIER COUNTY AND HOUSTON AND THE 13 SURROUNDING AREAS.
MY CONCERN IS WITH THE REDISTRICTING AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS GOING ON HOW IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT THE PROBLEM WE ARE HAVING ALREADY WITH THE FLOODING ISSUE? HOW WILL THAT, THE CENSUS TAKE IN, HOW DO WE, I WANT TO KNOW DID WE GAIN CITIZENS IN HARRIS COUNTY, HOUSTON AREA AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT ALL THE DEVELOPING THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE THAT'S AFFECTING THAT MONEY THAT WE RECEIVE FOR FLOOD CONTROL? THAT IS MY CONCERN.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THE FANTASTIC JOB YOU HAVE BEEN DOING TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS VERY TRYING TIME.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. WE HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE REDISTRICTING QUESTION BUT WE DID GAIN ABOUT 600,000 PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY. A LOT OF IT IN THE AREAS ON THE
[01:05:04]
OUTER EDGES OF THE COUNTY.>> WILL WE GAIN SEATS IN AUSTIN BECAUSE OF THAT? WILL WE GAIN ANOTHER SEAT OF A GREATER REPRESENTATION THERE? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT WE HERE IN A HARRIS COUNTY THAT THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERING EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON WITH THE GROWTH AND AS FAR AS REDISTRICTING I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, HOW THOSE LINES WILL BE DRAWN.
BECAUSE I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN DISTRICT 1.
>> CAN BE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SEATS FROM AUSTIN?
>> I AM NOT SURE, JUDGE, WHAT IS THE QUESTION OF THE SEATS FROM AUSTIN?
>> I THINK SHE IS TALKING ABOUT CONGRESSIONAL SEATS VERSUS THE REDISTRICTING WE ARE DOING.
>> THAT IS GOING TO BE DONE BY THE TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE.
HAT WILL NOT BE DECIDED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT.
>> THE ANSWER IS WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION BUT THANK YOU, MA'AM. THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT WERE AVAILABLE.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. DO ANY MEMBERS OF COURT HAVE
[County Attorney (Part 2 of 2)]
ANYTHING TO ADD OR COUNTY ATTORNEY OR THE TEAM?>> JUDGE I HAVE TWO QUICK THINGS TO ADD, FIRST THING I WANT TO ADD, THANKS TO ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR COMING OUT IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO THE PROCESS. ONE THING I HEARD THAT I WANT TO SAY WE DO WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT, WE ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS ISON THE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO DO .
WE MADE SURE TO GET AN ASL INTERVAL ARE HERE TODAY FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE VARIOUS GROUPS IN OUR COUNTY.
PART OF THE CHALLENGE BECAME THAT BECAUSE THE DATA CAME IN SO LATE AND IT'S TAKING US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO WORK OUT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF GETTING THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ON THE WEBSITE BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT AND WE HOPE TO HAVE IT SOON AND THIS IS WHY THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY MEETINGS BUT IT WILL BE UP IN SHORT ORDER. THE SECOND THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, WHEN WERE POINT ON MR. INGLES PRESENTATION.
I WAS NOT SURE IF I MENTIONED BUT WE SHOWED POPULATION SHIFTS, WE SHOWED ETHNIC CHANGES, WE SHOWED POLITICAL CHANGES. THE REASON WE DID THAT ULTIMATELY IS THAT THE PRESENTATION TENDS TO BE A BROAD OVERVIEW OF THE CHANGES TO THE POPULATION LIVING IN HARRIS COUNTY FOR THE PUBLIC'S CONSIDERATION.SO THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMERIC CHANGES, THERE HAVE BEEN ETHNIC CHANGES AND POLITICAL CHANGES, FOR EXAMPLE. THE REASON WE WENT TO THOSE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE COULD CONSIDER ALL OF THOSE CHANGES AND THEN THIS PROCESS IS STARTING A PROCESS WHERE WE CAN ENGAGE IN THE DIALOGUE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY.
>> JUDGE, AT THIS TIME, RAMSEY HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
WHEN WILL YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SCHEDULE? I THINK WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE PUBLIC, THE SOONER WE ALL KNOW THAT, THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT, THE BETTER.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.E WILL START REACHING OUT TO EACH OF YOUR OFFICES TO FIGURE OUT CALENDARS AND RECENTLY WENT TO START THE PROCESS SOON.
I THINK IT IS HARD BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATIVE UNCERTAINTY BUT I THINK WE CAN START THE MEETING, AT LEAST.
WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU THIS WEEK TO GET A SENSE OF YOUR SCHEDULES AND WHEN THE NEXT MEETINGS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.
>> COUNSELOR, YOU HAVE BEEN QUIET TODAY IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO OUR PRESENTATION?
>> NOTHING AT ALL, THIS HAS BEEN GREAT AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
>> THANK YOU AND I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THE VARIOUS SPEAKERS THAT MENTIONED HAVING SORT OF EXPLANATIONS I THINK DEMYSTIFYING THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING INTERESTING TO CONSIDER.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS WORKED TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. I KNOW WE WILL BE VISITING IN THE SAME SETTING AGAIN BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO EVERYBODY.
[01:10:09]
WITH THAT, IT IS 7:11 PM.>> JUDGE, BEFORE YOU CLOSE IT OUT, IS THERE ANY ACTION ON THIS ITEM FOR TODAY?
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.