Posted By PierceGOP on October 6, 2011
Last Chance for State Redistricting comments
If you want to ensure your Legislative District is properly redistricted—–You can make input directly to the commission.
See how below:
Your primary focus should be on what the charter calls for
• Make sure that, to the extent possible, boundaries of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities that have common interests are respected, and their division minimized.
The commissioners’ drafts will be posted on their website http://www.redistricting.wa.gov, where you can study them and submit comments. Public input to the drafts will wrap up with a meeting in Olympia on October 11. The meeting will be webcast and broadcast on TV so those unable to be in Olympia can participate from anywhere in the state. You can comment during the meeting by phoning in or joining the interactive webcast. We’ll post the details on our website’s front page.
After Oct. 11, the commissioners will meet as often as needed to hammer out a final plan for congressional and legislative districts. Their meetings will be open to the public and announced at least 24 hours in advance. The Commissioners have set a goal of Nov. 1 to agree on a final plan, providing time to correct minor errors before the Constitutional deadline for submitting the plans to the Legislature on January 1, 2012.
The State Constitution and statutes require that more than half a dozen criteria be simultaneously met, including keeping such communities together in districts, as much as possible. Communities of interest are groups of people defined by geography, transportation and commerce, common issues, local economies, and political boundaries such as counties, cities, port and school districts or voting precincts.
State and federal law tells us how the redrawing of voting district boundaries must happen. Legislative and Congressional voting district boundaries must be drawn to: half a dozen criteria
• Encompass, as nearly as can be done (or is “practicable”) equal numbers of people.
• Comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice. (congressional district)
• Make sure that parts of a district are not physically separated.
• Make sure that, to the extent possible, boundaries of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities that have common interests are respected, and their division minimized.
• Make sure they do not favor or discriminate against any incumbent, candidate, or political party.
GOP commissioners
Slade Gorton proposal link
http://www.redistricting.wa.gov/assets/maps/091311_Drafts/gorton_draft_091311.pdf
Tom Huff link
http://www.redistricting.wa.gov/assets/maps/091311_Drafts/huff_draft_091311.pdf
DNC commissioners (combined in one pdf)
Dean Foster
http://www.redistricting.wa.gov/assets/maps/091311_Drafts/tim_dean_presentation.pdf
Tim Ceis
http://www.redistricting.wa.gov/assets/maps/091311_Drafts/tim_dean_presentation.pdf
Bob Lawrence
PCRP Chairman
Posted By WebTeam on October 1, 2011
The votes were received from visitors to the Pierce GOP both at the Puyallup Fair and online voting.
This an unscientific poll and does not represent any endorsement.
This solely gathers the mood of the people in Pierce County at this time.
Posted By PierceGOP on August 18, 2011
Great turn out at the Pierce County fair this year! Thank you to the 28 folks that participated in making the Pierce County Fair the best. |
So here are the results of the Presidential Straw Poll conducted during the fair!
|
Posted By News Team on August 13, 2011
Posted By News Team on August 9, 2011
Appointing Senator Murray as the Co-chair of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction is like asking a fox to guard a hen house.
Bellevue, WA – WSRP Chairman Kirby Wilbur released the following statement after learning that Senator Harry Reid appointed Senator Patty Murray to the deficit reduction committee.
“It’s obvious that Senator Reid is not taking the deficit reduction committee very seriously. Appointing Senator Murray as the Co-chair of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction is like asking a fox to guard a hen house.
“Senator Murray has absolutely no history of cutting spending, ever. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I do not know of a single substantive vote she has ever cast to cut spending.
“Also, I wonder what kind of favors she will be handing out to vulnerable Democrat Senators. As Chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, her job is to defend her Senate colleagues. That job would be much more difficult if she cut programs in vulnerable Democrats’ states.”
Posted By PierceGOP on July 11, 2011
From Kirby Wilbur, Chairman, Washington State Republican Party
I am writing you this urgent email because our Republican Representatives are under attack for cutting the deficit and refusing to raise taxes.
Our Republican delegation is showing a lot of courage standing up to the President and his bully pulpit as he attempts to characterize us as evil for doing what is right. Each one of our Republican House Members needs to know that they have our support and appreciation.As a personal favor to me, will you call and email each one of their offices and thank them for standing firm on no tax increases and cutting the deficit? They are under attack daily and our support is crucial. They need to know we stand with them!
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler: 202-225-3536 or 360-695-6292 (email)
Rep. Doc Hastings: 202-225-5816 or 509-543-9396 or 509-452-3243 (email)
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers: 202-225-2006 or 509-684-3481 or 509-353-2374 or 509-529-9358 (email)
Rep. Dave Reichert: 202-225-7761 or 206-498-8103 or 206-275-3438 (email)
Thank you,
Kirby Wilbur
Chairman, Washington State Republican Party
Posted By WebTeam on July 8, 2011
TALKING POINTS – Pierce County Redistricting Committee
BACKGROUND:
The WSRP has recently learned that the mapmaker for the Pierce County Redistricting Committee is a partisan Democrat who is currently working for both the House and Senate Democratic Caucuses in Olympia. You can read the story in The News Tribune
here
ACTION ITEMS:
Send an email to the Redistricting Committee. It is very important that the committee receive your email no later than Saturday, July 9th. You should email your letter to Jennifer Schultz at jschult@co.pierce.wa.us. Be concise and polite. Below are the reasons for and against the various maps.
There are major problems with Map D/E while Map A is the best representation of how Pierce County should be districted.
Map A:
Only has 0.9% population variance. It is very close to the goal.
Does a good job of keeping communities together and doesn’t take Republican or Democrat areas into consideration.
The goal is to keep our county council members equally distributed by type of area they represent and as near equal population per district as possible. Map A has less than 1% variance as did the maps accepted for the 1992 and 2002 redistricting.
Therefore Map A comes closest of all proposals to date to support the principle of One Person = One vote.
Causes a much smaller degree of change from the current district boundaries, has a much smaller variance between districts, has a
balance of representatives from both urban and the suburban/rural areas.
Map D/E:
“Final Map” gerrymanders to give the most urban area of the County – City of Tacoma – parts of four different Council Districts when
they cannot fill two full districts. To accomplish the power grab they have now put Suburban UP and Fircrest into District 4 which frees up urban Northwest Tacoma to be added to suburban and rural District 7.
Redistricting is not to be about Republican or Democrat, but about communities. “Final Map” does not accomplish that.
Subordinates suburban and rural areas to urban (City of Tacoma). The priorities, requirements, population densities are so different
between the urban areas and the suburban and rural areas, that it is impossible to have each council person try to be all things to all
constituents instead of having experts from each type of district on the council.
There is a problem with the District Totals on the “Final Map.” It has 1,417 people more than any of the earlier maps; such an error is
simply unacceptable.
The communities of Parkland, Spanaway and Midland, which are all very similar have been carved up into three separate districts by the final map, where in Map A these three communities of interest are all combined in a single district.
In general. Map A would be the best for Pierce County residents as it keeps communities together and best accomplishes the population goal with very little change to current boundaries.
If you have any questions about this at all, contact your district leader first for assistance and then the WSRP Political Director, Caleb Heimlich, at 253-307-1786; or Communications Director, Josh Amato, at 253-722-9089. If you do not know who your district leader is, go here to find out.
Paid for by the Washington State Republican Party. 11811 NE 1st St, Bellevue, WA 98005.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
www.wsrp.org
Josh Amato
Communications Director
Washington State Republican Party
425-460-0570 office
253-722-9089 cell
Twitter: @joshuaamato
Special Meeting of the Pierce County Districting Committee will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, 2011, at the County-City Building, Pierce County Council Chambers, 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 1045,
Sincerely,
Dick Muri
Pierce County Council District # 6
116 Lila Street, Steilacoom, WA 98388-1418
Web: dickmuri.com
Home: 253-581-5609
Cell: 253-439-9797
Posted By PierceGOP on June 8, 2011
Every ten years the United States Census Bureau conducts a census or count of the United State’s population.
‘Once every 10 years, Americans stand up to be counted. Downtown and out-of-town, in the mountains and on the farms, we speak up and let our governments know that we intend to be represented in the decisions that they make’
There is just ONE more public hearing to be able to give public input. It is urgent to have as many as possible go to the Thursday night (June 16th) meeting in Gig Harbor.
Thursday, June 16 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Gig Harbor City Hall, Council Chambers. 3510 Grandview St, Gig Harbor, WA 98335.
We need to voice opposition to the Plan B map and support the Plan A Map. Here is the reason why!
- The Plan B map divides military communities and support.
This could cause our area to lose our military precense in Pierce County or reduce the military in our area. - The Plan B map mixes Urban and Rural areas inappropriately.
Each of these have different needs and issues that deserve their own representation.
More information along with both maps (linked above) can be found at the PC Districting Committee page The B map is clearly identified. The A map is without label but was the May 31st submission.
The Final meeting will be:
Additionally one last point: What happens in county redistricting also affects state redistricting. We do not get another chance for another 10 years!
Posted By News Team on May 25, 2011
Posted By News Team on May 16, 2011
The Democrats are at it again with their attempts to raise taxes. They are re-introducing a bill in the special session to continue the stadium tax that is set to expire. They are claiming that this tax only effects tourists but that is completely false!
In fact, more than 60% of this tax is paid for by our communities. Even this past week our Executive Director, Peter Graves, had to use a rental because of routine maintenance done on his car. This sort of thing happens thousands of times a month. Don’t let the Democrats in Olympia tell you otherwise.
The only way we can stop this ridiculous attempt to prolong a tax that we were promised would end is to take action! We all need to call Olympia today and every day until they get the hint. Their number is 1-800-562-6000. Demand they keep their promise, tell them to vote no on SB 5958!
Kirby Wilbur
Chairman, Washington State Republican Party
