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Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 77F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
Clear to partly cloudy. Low 56F. Winds light and variable.
Portville Supervisor Timothy Emley (standing) was among several public officials criticizing the Republican redistricting plan for the Cattaraugus County Legislature at a public hearing Wednesday. The plan passed 14-2.
Cattaraugus County lawmakers approved this redistricting plan 14-2 on Wednesday despite criticism.
Portville Supervisor Timothy Emley (standing) was among several public officials criticizing the Republican redistricting plan for the Cattaraugus County Legislature at a public hearing Wednesday. The plan passed 14-2.
Cattaraugus County lawmakers approved this redistricting plan 14-2 on Wednesday despite criticism.
LITTLE VALLEY — Despite criticism of a Cattaraugus County redistricting plan, county lawmakers voted 14-2 to approve the Republican plan the legislature’s lone Democrat said would lead to one-party rule.
The plan, sponsored by County Legislature Vice Chairman Andrew Burr, R-Gowanda, also cuts the number of legislators from the current 17 to 15.
More than a dozen county residents — including five town officials opposed to the redistricting plan — spoke at the public hearing in the James J. Snyder Legislative Chamber on the third floor of the County Center here.
Some residents applauded the redistricting plan and cutting the size of the legislature.
Portville Supervisor Timothy Emley said he was afraid the concerns of towns thrown in with the City of Olean (Olean, Portville and Hinsdale) would be neglected if all four of the legislators from the new District 5 were from the city.
Jeffrey Goodyear, the Ischua supervisor, said he feared smaller towns in the new 11-town District 2 would get left out — even with four legislators.
Great Valley Supervisor Dan Brown said, “This was sprung on us quick” and he criticized the lack of public input by the majority Republicans. “I would like a little more time to look into this.”
The new Farmersville supervisor, William Kozar, said, “No one knows how this may or may not affect us.” The “ramming and jamming is totally uncalled for. Let people hear what is going on.”
A former county legislator, Sue Labuhn of Salamanca, said that the last time the county legislature was redistricted there was a committee to get input. There was no input from municipalities, she said at the public hearing. “Why did the process change?”
Becky Kruszynski, a Great Valley Town Board member, asked why the City of Salamanca and the Town of Great Valley, both with large numbers of Seneca Nation members, were split into two different districts.
Minority Leader David Koch, D-Salamanca, who leads a party of one, said, “The two-party system of government is going to disappear. There will be no checks and balances. There will be no oversight.”
The plan also doesn’t put any incumbent legislators in a primary next year.
The Republican redistricting plan dilutes the number of Democratic voters in the City of Salamanca and Great Valley by placing them in districts where they are outnumbered by Republicans, Koch said. “I hope the voters become aware of what’s going on and vote no in November.”
Burr said redistricting the county “is a much more difficult task than you think.” He told those attending the meeting that the new census numbers were not received by the county until late last year.
The end of July was the deadline to approve a redistricting plan so it can be put up for a referendum on the November ballot. Otherwise, Burr said, the county legislature would have to use weighted voting for the next four years. In addition, there would also continue to be 17 legislators for the next four-year term.
Majority Leader Michael Brisky, R-Franklinville, said no map is perfect, but he could see a legislator ignoring a municipality they represent. The new districts are closer to being equally weighted than the current districts, he added.
Legislator Joseph Snyder, R-Ischua, said he visited the town boards in his district and none of them thought it was a good idea to be lumped in with the City of Olean, where two thirds of the population resides. It would make it difficult for town residents to get elected to the county legislature. “It’s very unfair.” He asked that it be referred to committee for reconsideration.
Snyder joined Koch in voting against the redistricting plan.
Legislator Kip Morrow, R-Portville, who represents District 7 with Snyder, said, “I’m not against this plan. People say they want smaller government.”
Legislator Richard Helmich, R-Delevan, was absent.
The towns of Olean, Portville and Hinsdale and the Village of Portville sent letters to the county legislature opposing the redistricting plan.
The new plan shows the city of Olean included in the four-legislator District 5 along with the towns of Olean, Portville and Hinsdale. It would have 21,435 residents or 5,385 people for each legislator.
District 1: Towns of Dayton, Leon, New Albion, Otto, Perrysburg and Persia and the Seneca Nation’s Cattaraugus Territory with a total of 9,915 residents and two legislators each representing 4,957 people.
District 2: Towns of Ellicottville, Franklinville, Ashford, East Otto, Farmersville, Freedom, Great Valley, Ischua, Lyndon, Machias and Yorkshire and the Oil Springs Reservation with 20,192 residents, each of four legislators representing 5,048 residents.
District 3: City of Salamanca and towns of Little Valley, Salamanca, Conewango, Mansfield, Napoli, Randolph and South Valley with 14,986 residents and three legislators, each representing 4,995 people.
District 4: Towns of Allegany Carrollton, Coldspring, Humphrey and Red House with 10,514 residents and two legislators, each representing 5,257 residents.
County voters will decide in November whether they like the redistricting plan.
(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @RMillerOTH)
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