Expert Reaffirms Alonzo Position on Increased D-FW Seats
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Texas State Representative Roberto R. Alonzo once again took part in the series of public hearings and contentious debates among lawmakers and citizens from the general public as the House Redistricting Committee takes up the issue of redrawing House district maps for the next 10 years. Like Friday the general theme prevalent among most of todays testimony and debate focused on the issue of the Texas Constitution at the state level versus the Voting Rights Act at the federal level. Rep. Alonzo is a member of the committee studying the issue.
As we continued with part two of the public hearings of the House Redistricting Committee in Austin focusing on House district boundary lines and as we continued to hear testimony from key experts and the general public at large I stand firm with my initial position that House Bill 150 as proposed falls way short of what Texans deserve and want when it comes to fair and equitable representation in the Texas legislature.
In light of the undisputable fact that it was because of the Latino population growth that we should stand to gain more seats at all levels of government including more members of the House of Representatives from the DFW area most of todays testimonials cemented my position even more said Rep. Alonzo.
Looking at the latest US Census data numbers alone justifies that reasoning. So instead of cutting down on the number of Latino minority opportunity districts statewide as HB 150 proposes but especially in the DFW region I cannot be convinced how that proposal could hold water at all.
In other words if the proposed plan cannot convince the US Department of Justice much less gain enough muster to get clearance from the Voting Right Act I cannot see how HB 150 should even be approved by Texas lawmakers continued Rep. Alonzo.
Most of todays testimonials once again continued to reiterate and show how the proposed plan as laid out splits communities of interest and denies proper representation to people of color - Hispanics and African Americans alike - who drove the population growth in Texas for the past decade to begin with continued Rep. Alonzo.
While this redistricting debate is just a start in the process of what promises to be a much longer and tedious road ahead I am convinced we must do much more as policymakers to ensure total inclusiveness and fair representation for all geographic regions of the state and its tremendous population growth particularly among Latinos who are the primary reason for Texas sharing the national spotlight among states in the country when it comes to the decennial redrawing of boundary lines in Texas concluded Rep. Alonzo.
Among the experts testifying at todays hearing was constitutional law civil rights and redistricting expert George Korbel of San Antonio who reiterated much of Rep. Alonzos stance on the issue.
Todays House Redistricting Committee hearing was a continuation of Fridays which was aslo held in Austin.
