SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.—The Los Angeles Redistricting Commission voted decidedly against the San Fernando Valley during yesterday’s meeting, delaying the decision on the Valley maps until early this morning. The 15-6 vote against the Valley creates five Valley districts, and two Valley-minority districts that split communities and disenfranchise Valley voters.
 
“This is a travesty,” said Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) President Stuart Waldman. “The Valley is a distinct community of interest and VICA will continue to fight any redistricting plans that threaten to carve up our community.”
 
VICA has been a vocal advocate for reapportionment plans that keep districts that include the Valley completely within its borders. VICA has stated that if Valley communities must be linked to other parts of the city, no more than one district should be split and it must maintain a Valley majority.
 
VICA supported the initial commission draft that kept six districts within the Valley, with only one split district. However, VICA does not support the latest commission decision.
 
“We are most disappointed that so many commissioners appointed by Valley elected officials voted against the Valley’s best interest,” Waldman said. “Once again, San Fernando Valley residents are slighted by the City of Los Angeles.”
 
More information on Los Angeles redistricting can be found at http://redistricting2011.lacity.org.
 
VICA was actively engaged in ensuring the Valley received adequate representation during the state and federal redistricting process that was done by the Citizens’ Redistricting Commission.
 
In June 2011, VICA released a Community of Interest Analysis for the Valley that provided explicit geographic, demographic and socioeconomic information about the San Fernando Valley and its residents. The data clearly supports VICA’s position for the Valley’s treatment as a separate community of interest. A history of the Valley, boundaries, topography, information about neighborhood councils and transportation networks are also contained in the report.