The Odyssey Ends – Bill Holden Beats the Democrats

Trumbull's redistricting resolution came to its final vote on May 7.  To no one's surprise Town Council easily approved the Republican supported four district plan, 13 – 6.

The One Person One Vote law requires that population in every voting district be essentially equal.  The 2010 census showed that our districts were out of compliance as the result of population growth and the construction of several condo developments.

The easiest, simplest, least confusing and least costly way to meet the mandate would have been to move the boundaries of the existing districts and keep the 21 seat, seven district structure with three seats per district that has served Trumbull well for the last 28 years. 

But Bill Holden, the Republican Registrar of Voters, has sought to reduce the number of districts to four since the last redistricting in 1984.   His view – and perhaps of First Selectman Tim Herbst – is that politics is not about compromise, but power.  The 2010 census gave them the opportunity to strengthen their position. 

Statute requires the minority hold at least one seat in each district.  The Democrats fared badly enough last November that they now hold only that minimum seven seats.  The Republicans' 14 seats constitute the super majority they need to approve any piece of legislation the council might receive.

Herbst appointed a Redistricting Committee of three reliable Republicans and two Democrats that would reduce Democratic representation as much as possible.  The Republicans had no need to co-operate with the Democrats, so they didn't.  There was no serious exchange of ideas during committee “deliberations.”  More than that, they approved their plan without providing Democrats the district boundary information required to be filed with the Secretary of State.

Both plans were brought to the Town Council's April meeting.  Twelve citizens spoke at a rare public hearing on a matter before the council.  Eleven supported the updated seven district plan, among them the only two people who had attended all the committee meetings.  Only one spoke for the four district plan, a doctrinaire Republican who had not attended any meetings and who simply offered the majority's talking points.

The Republican caucus had determined there would be minimal discussion.  They ignored those who spoke against the four district plan, then approved it resoundingly.

Almost immediately it was discovered that Holden's boundaries were wrong.  The worst case became reality because he has no way to accurately count residents.  Holden refused to use the town’s new $300,000 Geographic Information System to verify his district population counts.

The plan returned to the council on May 7^th to correct “minor technical errors.”  Unless you happen to live in one of the misplaced areas and go to the wrong polling station, wait in line, get turned away and have to repeat the process at another.

Council Chair Carl Massaro said he had double checked the boundaries, and that he was satisfied.  He deserves credit for doing Holden's job,and better than Holden did.  But no one knows whether the latest plan is correct.  In the absence of GIS verification, there is no certainty the boundaries are correct even this time.

Republicans largely ignored Democrats’ second attempt to overturn the plan.  Councilwoman Vickie Tesoro, one of the Democrats on the Redistricting Committee, noted that many Republicans approved the plan at the prior meeting knowing it was incorrect, and even after she motioned to return it to the Redistricting Committee simply to make it right.

Democratic Council members Jim Meisner and Martha Mark said they would vote against it, Meisner because he views it as “no more than a plan to reduce minority representation,” Mark because she called it "extremely shoddy.” 

Massaro continually insisted there are “no substantive changes” and asked why there was so much Democratic conversation.

Ms. Tesoro told the chair “I appreciate your work, but (checking the plan) is not your job.”  She said the process was flawed in the beginning and is flawed to the end.”

The vote ended Bill Holden's 28 year quest to reduce the power of the minority.  With the town council already little more that a debating society, should the Democrats fare as badly in the next election as they did in the last, every issue of consequence will be the First Selectman's call.  Democrats could then be little more than bridge table full of eunuchs.