What You Should Know

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz

32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

Tel. 718-991-3161

What a slap in the face to all Bronx residents – especially to all the Members of the Bronx Assembly Delegation!

Yes, my dear reader, you should know that the New York State Assembly and Senate leaders have submitted proposals for re-districting the Congressional district lines in the Bronx, carving the Bronx into five Congressional Districts, and neither of them is a pretty picture.

You should know that the proposal submitted by Sheldon Silver, the Speaker of the Assembly – a Democrat – is by far the very worse of the two, dividing the Bronx into 5 parcels. Speaker Silver’s disastrous proposal shows once again that he has no respect for the people of the Bronx and its Bronx Assembly Delegation. (It is amazing that we quietly think that it’s the Republicans who “hate” us and are always against us, but I invite you to take a look at the facts and let them speak for themselves.)

Speaker Silver’s divisive proposal includes the following changes to the Congressional districts – reminding me of how those in power divided land into parcels back in the Reconstruction Era: Congressman Eliot Engel’s district is to include 20% of the Bronx; Congressman Charles Rangel’s district in Manhattan is to include 20% of the Bronx; Congresswoman Nita Lowey’s district in Westchester County is to include 5% of the Bronx; a new district to include approximately 30% of the Bronx and the rest to be shared with Queens County; and Congressman Jose Serrano’s district to include 100% of the Bronx, but with a lower Latino population in his district.

You should know that it has been said that these are the most gerrymandered lines in recent New York history. We in the Bronx deserve so much better than this!

What a disgrace!

I urge Bronx Members of the New York State Assembly to vote NO in a block against Sheldon Silver’s proposals. I urge each Bronx Assembly Member to do this out of respect for the people of the Bronx, out of respect for themselves, and out of respect for their districts.

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.