The Mayor of Menasha vetoed the Common Council’s redistricting plan today. Within the official press release he addresses the reasons for his veto strike, but there is a problem…the press release is not being honest describing the situation of the redistricting. I would like to address the items to let voters make an informed decision whether or not the Common Council made the correct choice for the citizens and taxpayers of Menasha.
2011 Current Representation
Wards: 21
Aldermanic Districts: 8
Percent difference in District populations: 48%
Highest populated District: District 8 with 3523
Lowest populated District: District 2 with 1815
County lines crossed: 1
School lines crossed: 1
Current number of ballots needed: 11
2011 Commission Proposed Plan (Rejected)
Wards: 18
Aldermanic Districts: 8
Percent difference in District populations: 55%
Highest populated District: District 6 with 2443
Lowest populated District: District 8 with 1103
County lines crossed: 1
School lines crossed: 1
Number of ballots needed: 10
2011 Council Plan (Passed)
Wards: 17
Aldermanic Districts: 8
Percent difference in District populations: 19%
Highest populated District: District 7 with 2374
Lowest populated District: District 3 with 1917
County lines crossed: 0
School lines crossed: 1
Number of ballots needed: 11
The redistricting plan that was passed DOES NOT create any increase in ballot printing costs farther than what is currently in place. There is no added expense to the tax payers. The plan that was passed by the Common Council allows for the fairest representation for all taxpayers. The press release from the Mayor’s office is accusatory by stating that the plan that was passed disenfranchises voters on the east side…this is very disingenuous when the plan that the Mayor is backing actually does disenfranchise voters, in fact 93.6% of Menasha’s voters would have received half the representation on the Common Council compared to the other 6.4% if the first proposed plan was passed.
The Mayor also avoids the fact that if substantial growth does occur on the east side before the next redistricting, by Wisconsin State Statute our municipality can adjust our Aldermanic District boundaries to even out the population representation…this can be completed every two years. The Common Council did approve an agreement with a developer to build UP TO 200 homes near Lake Park Villas, what the press release forgot to mention was the builder is not obligated to build any amount of homes...in fact he does not have to build a single home and can sell off vacant lots if he so chooses, he just will not receive a cash bonus from the city if he does not build 200 homes. The time frame to build those homes is stretched over many years, the developer to this day has not signed the agreement to build any homes, and the city forgot to purchase and retain part of the land that the developer wanted in the first place.
Now for the cost. The Mayor stated that the extra ballot cost will total an extra $1,000 each election…this is absolutely false and beyond disingenuous. Here are the actual facts:
1) There will not be any extra ballots printed than what there are currently printed today. The cost will remain the same.
2) The plan crosses three lines, exactly the same as today.
3) The plan has one polling place with three ballots while all others have two, exactly the same as today
Ballot Costs of Last Three Years with Three Border Crossings
2011 - $1,451 for entire year for entire city
2010 - $1,095 for entire year for entire city
2009 - $422 for entire year for entire city
Ballot Costs of Last Three Years Before Moving County District Lines Causing An Extra Ballot - With Two Border Crossings
2007 - $578.15 for entire year for entire city
2006 - $824.51 for entire year for entire city
2005 - $437.80 for entire year for entire city
Average ballot costs after county redistricting in 2007 (2009 to 2011, Excluding Presidential Elections): $989 for each year for entire city
Average ballot costs before county redistricting in 2007 (2000 to 2007, Excluding Presidential Elections): $1030 for each year for entire city
Total Yearly Cost of Menasha Election Ballots
2011 - $1,451 ~ 11 separate ballots
2010 - $1,095 ~ 11 separate ballots
2009 - $422 ~ 11 separate ballots
2008 - $4,613 ~ 11 separate ballots (Presidential election Obama v. McCain)
2007 - $578.15 ~10 separate ballots
2006 - $824.51 ~10 separate ballots
2005 - $437.80 ~10 separate ballots
2004 - $2,541.86 ~10 separate ballots (Presidential election Bush v. Kerry)
2003 - $893.48 ~10 separate ballots
2002 - $1,954.12 ~10 separate ballots
2001 - $1,492.82 ~10 separate ballots
2000 - $1,332.52 (Presidential election Bush v. Gore)
1999 - $509.10
A large added ballot increase did not exist when Menasha had to add an extra ballot to our elections due to the County Supervisory Lines being re-drawn in 2007 causing Aldermanic District 7 to be cut in the middle. Stating that the one ballot that would remain in place with the passed plan would cause a $1,000 increase in ballot cost is false and borders a complete lie.
It boils down to this…the Common Council drew a plan that keeps everyone’s vote and representation as equal as possible, and I for one am proud to defend against the diluting of anyone’s representation or vote! The plan supported by the Mayor literally does dilute the representation and vote of 93.6% of Menasha residents giving 6.4% of the city’s population a 2-to-1 advantage on the Common Council.
I plant my feet firmly on the side of fair and equal representation for everyone, others would prefer to give a fraction of the population more clout and more power of representation on the Common Council. It is up to you to decide in the up coming elections, is your vote meant to be equal as your neighbor’s, or is your neighbor allowed to be counted twice because of where they live? It is your choice.
