City Of College Park: City Statement Opposing Prince George's County Council Bill CB-115

Press release from the City of College Park :

October 18, 2021

October 18, 2021, College Park, MD – The City of College Park’s City Council unanimously voted today in a special emergency session to express strong opposition to the proposed County Council redistricting map (the “Davis map”) put forward by a majority of the County Council on Thursday, October 14. This map is significantly different from that proposed by the County’s Redistricting Commission and would remove the entire portion of the City of College Park that is currently in District 3 from that district. Removing the City from this District hurts Prince George’s County by limiting cross-municipal collaboration and will limit the ability to create a strong economic and equitable development strategy along the Purple Line corridor.

By introducing and voting in favor of a new redistricting map that ignored much of the public input that went into developing the maps by the Redistricting Commission, the County Council demonstrated a disregard for transparency and public input in redistricting and hurt the overall legitimacy of the elected government in our County.

In a letter sent to County Council Chair Calvin S. Hawkins, II on October 18, the City requests that he amend the proposed redistricting map to keep the existing boundaries between County Districts 1 and 3 within the City of College Park, as recommended by the Redistricting Commission.

For more information, visit the Redistricting Commission's website, read the Redistricting Commission's report, and learn more about CB-115-2021.

Residents can voice their concerns and/or opinions about redistricting and the Davis map to County Council, including the two at-large members, via email.  

Mel Franklin Council Member (At-Large)mfranklin1@co.pg.md.usAt-LargeMemberFranklin@co.pg.md.us Calvin S. Hawkins, II Chair, Council Member (At-Large)At-LargeMemberHawkins@co.pg.md.us Thomas E. Dernoga Council Member (District 1)CouncilDistrict1@co.pg.md.us Deni Taveras Vice-Chair, Council Member (District 2)DLTaveras@co.pg.md.usCouncilDistrict2@co.pg.md.us Dannielle M. Glaros Council Member (District 3)dmglaros@co.pg.md.usCouncilDistrict3@co.pg.md.us Todd M. Turner Council Member (District 4)District4@co.pg.md.usCouncilDistrict4@co.pg.md.us Jolene Ivey Council Member (District 5)CouncilDistrict5@co.pg.md.us Derrick L. Davis Council Member (District 6)CouncilDistrict6@co.pg.md.us Rodney C. Streeter Council Member (District 7)CouncilDistrict7@co.pg.md.us Monique Anderson-Walker Council Member (District 8)CouncilDistrict8@co.pg.md.us Sydney J. Harrison Council Member (District 9)CouncilDistrict9@co.pg.md.us

This press release was produced by the City of College Park. The views expressed here are the author’s own.