Redistricting plan gets through legislature

    SCHUYLER COUNTY—After some discussion, the Schuyler County Legislature passed Local Law No. 5 of the Year 2012 providing for the establishment of eight legislative districts in Schuyler County by a vote of five to three. The redistricting law both delineates boundary lines for the new districts based on recent census data and sets out a plan to incrementally implement the redistricting from 2013 to 2016. Chairman Dennis Fagan explained that the redistricting was necessary because the prior system left some areas underrepresented. “All we’re trying to do is equalize the representation as best we can,” said Fagan.
     The redistricting law directs that a ballot proposition be voted upon by the voters of Schuyler County in the 2012 general election this November.
    Legislator Barbara Halpin took issue with the manner in which the redistricting law staggers the new districts into existence. In January of 2014 four of the districts will be created and filled by legislators elected in 2013. Two more districts will follow in 2015 and by 2016 the eight new legislative districts will be in place. Halpin called the process “complicated and [an] added cost to taxpayers.” Although she stated that she is in favor of the eight district plan, she would prefer an implementation plan where all eight districts would be created at once with eight elections. This sentiment was shared by legislators Doris Karius and Glenn Larison who joined Halpin in voting against the redistricting law. The law ultimately passed with votes from Fagan and legislators Phil Barnes, Stewart Field, Michael Yuhasz and Tom Gifford.
    The Schuyler County Board of Elections presented their initial impressions of the redistricting law at the Legislative Resolution Review Committee meeting held on Wednesday, Aug. 8. It is anticipated that five polling places will be eliminated. However, the cost savings associated with eliminating the polling places will be offset by the need to have multiple coordinators at sites where residents in two districts are voting to help them determine which district they reside in. Fagan said that he “was hoping we would save a lot more money with this plan.” The coordinators are not required by New York State and Fagan hoped that through voter education they will, at some point, no longer be necessary.
    In other business:
    The legislature presented a local law which will eliminate the elected county treasurer position and replace it with an appointed county comptroller position. Fagan explained that the “complexity of the office has changed over the last 20 years.” The comptroller position will be the same as the treasurer position except that the legislature can require certain qualifications of the appointed comptroller beyond the age and residency requirements of an elected official. A public hearing on the law is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 10 at 6:45 p.m. in the legislative chambers. If the law passes, a proposition will be placed on the ballot in the general election for approval by Schuyler County voters.
    The next regular meeting of the legislature is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the legislative chambers.