NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AND REAPPORTIONMENT PUBLIC HEARING CONGRESSIONAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING Queens Borough Hall Meeting Room 213 – 1 & 2, 120-55 Queens Boulevard Kew Gardens, New York Wednesday, September 7, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Page 2 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 TASK FORCE MEMBERS: SENATOR MICHAEL F. NOZZOLIO, Co-Chair ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOHN J. MCENENY, Co-Chair SENATOR MARTIN M. DILAN ASSEMBLY MEMBER ROBERT OAKS DEBRA LEVINE, Co-Executive Director LEWIS HOPPE, Co-Executive Director ROMAN HEDGES WELQUIS LOPEZ Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 3 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 INDEX Page SENATOR MICHAEL NOZZOLIO 7 NYS LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AND REAPPORTIONMENT ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOHN MCENENY 6 NYS LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AND REAPPORTIONMENT SENATOR MARTIN DILAN 7 NYS LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AND REAPPORTIONMENT STATE SENATOR MICHAEL GIANARIS 8 KAREN KOSLOWITZ 16 CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MARK MCMILLAN 18 DEPUTY COUNSEL, OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT BOROUGH OF QUEENS JERRY VATTAMALA 23 STAFF ATTORNEY, ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND ROBERT BELTRANI 38 KENNETH COHEN 45 PRESIDENT, NORTHEAST QUEENS NAACP MARY LOU URBAN 48 SECRETARY, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS JOAN GRAY 53 LOULA LOI ALOFOYIANNIS 61 PRESIDENT, EURO-AMERICAN WOMEN'S COUNCIL NATASHA KORGAONKAR 64 NAACP, LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 4 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 HELEN MARSHALL 80 PRESIDENT, BOROUGH OF QUEENS ASSEMBLY MEMBER BARBARA CLARK 83 33RD DISTRICT ASSEMBLY MEMBER MARGARET MARKEY 91 30TH DISTRICT BETTY BRATON 94 CHAIRPERSON, COMMUNITY BOARD 10, QUEENS JAMES HONG 101 SPOKESPERSON, ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY COALITION ON REDISTRICTING AND DEMOCRACY JERRY CHENG 107 FORMER PRESIDENT AND CURRENT BOARD MEMBER OCA-New York BRIGHT LIMM 113 CO-CHAIR, STEERING COMMITTEE, KOREAN AMERICANS FOR POLITICAL ADVANCEMENT GURPAL SINGH 122 SEVA COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION RACHEL FAUSS 131 POLICY AND RESEARCH MANAGER, CITIZENS UNION SEEMA AGNANI 143 CHHAYA CDC ROSEMARIE DARAIO 149 PRESIDENT, COMET STEVEN CHOI 151 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MINKWON CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ACTION ELIZABETH OUYANG 162 OCA-New York EILEEN REILLY 164 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MASPETH TOWN HALL Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 5 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 YANG CHEN 167 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASIAN-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK LINDA LEE 176 ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KOREAN COMMUNITY SERVICES OF METROPOLITAN NEW YORK RACHANA SHAH 179 REDISTRICTING CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR TAKING OUR SEAT CHEJIN PARK, ESQ. 186 STAFF ATTORNEY KOREAN AMERICAN VOTERS COUNCIL EILEEN REILLY (SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MICHELLE 189 MASONE) MASONE, WHITE, PENKAVA & CRISTOFERI P.C. DAVE CRUM 192 COMMANDER, CATHOLIC WAR VETERANS POST #1 JOE DIPIETRO 195 PRESIDENT, FEDERATION OF ITALIAN AMERICANS ORGANIZATION, QUEENS GEORGE MALANDRAKIS 197 MARY O'HARA 199 CHAIR OF HOUSING COMMITTEE, COMMUNITY BOARD 1 BRIAN PAUL 202 RESEARCH AND POLICY COORDINATOR COMMON CAUSE NEW YORK GUS LAMBROPOULOS 210 SHENA GOUD 213 SOUTH ASIAN YOUTH ACTION (SAYA!) JAMILLA UDDIN 217 CHAIR, YOUTH COMMITTEE OF THE ALLIANCE OF Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 6 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 SOUTH ASIAN LABOR ROBERT FRIEDRICH 219 PRESIDENT, GLEN OAKS VILLAGE HARPREET S. TOOR 223 KAREN DENNIS 230 NYCHA, RAVENSWOOD LEROY GADSEN 234 PRESIDENT, NAACP-JAMAICA BRANCH CAROL HUANG, PHD 243 RESEARCH COORDINATOR, ASIAN-AMERICAN AND ASIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 7 1 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 2 (The public hearing commenced at 10:00 3 a.m.) 4 SENATOR MICHAEL F. NOZZOLIO, CO-CHAIR, 5 NYS LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON DEMOGRAPHIC 6 RESEARCH AND REAPPORTIONMENT: Ladies and 7 gentlemen, we apologize for the delay. It took 8 some time to set up the equipment, and that’s the 9 reason for this delay. I’m New York State 10 Senator Mike Nozzolio. I’m welcoming you all 11 here today, and we are pleased to be in Queens. 12 We are the task force designed by statute to 13 review the redistricting process, to take public 14 opinion. This is our hearing in Queens. It’s 15 the seventh in a series of a dozen hearings that 16 we have conducted and will be conducting across 17 the state. These proceedings are being recorded, 18 and we ask the young lady who is New York One 19 that you are very close to being in front of the 20 camera that is recording these proceedings. For 21 the first time ever the redistricting hearings 22 are being recorded and are available for review 23 on the LATFOR’s website. I’m here, very pleased 24 to be here with co-chairman, Assemblyman Jack Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 8 1 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 2 McEneny. Let me before Assemblyman McEneny 3 indicates his comments, I want to thank those 4 members of the task force who are here today: 5 Welquis Ray Lopez, who is a citizen-member of the 6 task force; Senator Martin Dilan, who is 7 representing the Senate; Assemblyman Jack 8 McEneny; and our other citizen representative 9 Roman Hedges; Assemblyman Robert Oaks is a member 10 of the task force and is on his way. That there 11 are over 30 who have asked to testify and present 12 their comments today, that is wonderful. The 13 public input is something we welcome. Those who 14 could not testify but are watching these 15 proceedings via the internet, please feel free to 16 submit your written thoughts to the LATFOR Task 17 Force. We have fought hard to make this the most 18 open and transparent process possible in 19 establishing redistricting. There are some who 20 are going to indicate today that they wish to see 21 another type of redistricting process 22 established. That’s not for the decision to 23 establish that different process. It’s not up to 24 the members of this task force. We have to Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 9 1 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 2 comply with existing law. Existing law present a 3 fiduciary relationship to us and responsibility 4 to us as appointed members of this task force to 5 conduct these hearings and begin the process, the 6 process that began in earnest in mid-July. With 7 that we welcome the testifiers today. 8 Assemblyman McEneny, do you have any opening 9 remarks? 10 ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOHN J. MCENENY, CO- 11 CHAIR NYS LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON DEMOGRAPHIC 12 RESEARCH AND REAPPORTIONMENT: Only to say that 13 I’m glad we have such a complete turnout, and 14 understand that as we go through this process, 15 which is required by our state Constitution, as 16 well as by the federal government, that we are 17 limited by certain constraints. When we get into 18 cities, particularly within counties, we have a 19 rule in the New York State Constitution called 20 Block on Border, so I know there will be people 21 here advocating that their neighborhood be kept 22 together or joined, perhaps, with a similar 23 neighborhood. When you’re done with the process, 24 if by moving one block to the wrong side of the Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 10 1 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 2 street in your opinion the math comes out better, 3 it must be done by constitutional law. Also we 4 are governed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 5 which pays special attention to minorities, which 6 says that we do not diminish the participation of 7 minorities, and when possible, we add to that 8 participation. And I know there will be concerns 9 about that here, as well. If your organization 10 like Re-Shape New York or some of the others have 11 already testified and you have the same points to 12 make, we’d appreciate it if you’d consolidate 13 that a bit for the benefit of the people who have 14 not had an opportunity. Some groups have given 15 the same message as three or four public hearings 16 and they’re already on television. We don’t need 17 the full text. We get the gist of it. And with 18 that, Senator. 19 SENATOR NOZZOLIO: Thank you, 20 Assemblyman. Senator Dilan. 21 SENATOR MARTIN M. DILAN, NYS LEGISLATIVE 22 TASK FORCE ON DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AND 23 REAPPORTIONMENT: Yes, good morning to all. 24 First of all I’d like to thank the co-chairs for Ubiqus/Nation-Wide Reporting & Convention Coverage 22 Cortlandt Street – Suite 802, New York, NY 10007 Phone: 212-227-7440 * 800-221-7242 * Fax: 212-227-7524 Page 11 1 Task Force on Demographic Research, 9/7/11 2 having this hearing in the City of New York and 3 especially in the County of Queens, and we still 4 do have some growing pains as a task force, but I 5 think that we are trying to work out those kinks, 6 and I feel very positive about that.