Today, San Luis Obispo county supervisors conduct a final hearing on the new proposed redistricting map for supervisors.
At their last hearing on redistricting two weeks ago, they approved the map developed by Richard Patton. Although the Richard Patton map removes the gerrymandering that allowed three supervisors districts to capture parts of the city of San Luis Obispo, not everyone likes the new improved map.
After hours of testimony, mostly from left-leaning citizens, the board of supervisors chair, Lynn Compton, called for a vote. Then supervisor Bruce Gibson delivered a five minute speech on why he opposed the map which supervisors approved.
Now, the latino caucus is saying it objects to the new map. Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg and other latinos are asking the state attorney general to look it over. They say the map violates the state’s fair maps act to the detriment of latino candidates. We heard the same thing last week at the Paso Robles school board meeting, the actions of the school board related to latinos representation have inspired an investigation by the federal civil rights office.
The vote by the supervisors today, in the opinion of those who back the Richard Patton map, is within the requirements of the new state law regarding new maps. In fact, they say this map is much more fair and more compliant with the new law than previous supervisors district maps in San Luis Obispo county.
