Is Gerrymandering affecting you?

[Checkerboard Strangler]

It is the process by which lawmakers get to choose their voters instead of voters choosing their lawmakers.

 

[kanabco]

There is no such thing as a politically unaffilated person. It is a myth, non partisan only means not signing up for mailing lists. Everyone has sympathies. In addition they work for the legislature which has final say on approving the boundaries.

While a rectangular district is nice in theory, people do not live equally distributed across the land, and districts all have to have an equal number of folks. To quote Chief Justice Warren, legislators represent people, not acres or trees

Your home state does not look like any of the gerrymandered districts already shown in the post

 

[BitterPill]

Yet another reason why I moved BACK to Southern California.

The non-partisan citizen's committee worked well for the Democrats - led to controlling both state houses, and suddenly California is out of the red, pun intended.

 

[kanabco]

The non-partisan citizen's committee worked well for the Democrats - led to controlling both state houses, and suddenly California is out of the red, pun intended.

Dear bitter person, can you find before and after maps of congressional districts in California. It could be that before the committees apportioned district's that the state had republican favored gerrymandered districts based on the 2000 census. Therefore getting rid of the gerrymandered districts removed the hindrances for democrats.

 

[BitterPill]

Dear bitter person, can you find before and after maps of congressional districts in California. It could be that before the committees apportioned district's that the state had republican favored gerrymandered districts based on the 2000 census. Therefore getting rid of the gerrymandered districts removed the hindrances for democrats.

I could find the before and after districts. You can as well, and if not, a pleasant request will likely lead to aid.

Let me know.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

The non-partisan citizen's committee worked well for the Democrats - led to controlling both state houses, and suddenly California is out of the red, pun intended.

Uhhhh yeah!! We were in the red thanks to Prop 13.
I do understand the motivation to pass Prop 13 originally in 1978. Howard Jarvis felt that middle class property owners were getting hammered by runaway taxation but seriously, no one in their right mind could justify keeping taxes at 1978 levels in the 21st century. California was in danger of becoming Sam Brownback's Kansas.
We were actually shutting down police departments, schools, libraries, leaving roads and other infrastructure in serious danger and considering the sale of municipal buildings.

The state was unable to offer even the most basic services that come with civilization.
It's not so much that it worked well for the Democrats, because our California Democrats don't always do what's best for the people all of the time, but it worked well for the state in general. Our economy isn't wrecked anymore, it's in recovery.

Conservatives can certainly be of help in that area once they stop drinking Tea Party beverages and demonstrate willingness to look at individual issues on their own merits. We have actually managed to work in a bipartisan manner before.

 

[kanabco]

I could find the before and after districts. You can as well, and if not, a pleasant request will likely lead to aid.

Let me know.

I have searched awhile and can only find the current districts. Let me know if you can find one circa 2001 or so.

Thanks

 

[BitterPill]

Uhhhh yeah!! We were in the red thanks to Prop 13.
I do understand the motivation to pass Prop 13 originally in 1978. Howard Jarvis felt that middle class property owners were getting hammered by runaway taxation but seriously, no one in their right mind could justify keeping taxes at 1978 levels in the 21st century. California was in danger of becoming Sam Brownback's Kansas.
We were actually shutting down police departments, schools, libraries, leaving roads and other infrastructure in serious danger and considering the sale of municipal buildings.

The state was unable to offer even the most basic services that come with civilization.
It's not so much that it worked well for the Democrats, because our California Democrats don't always do what's best for the people all of the time, but it worked well for the state in general. Our economy isn't wrecked anymore, it's in recovery.

Conservatives can certainly be of help in that area once they stop drinking Tea Party beverages and demonstrate willingness to look at individual issues on their own merits. We have actually managed to work in a bipartisan manner before.

I'm pretty sure property taxes are still capped at the 1% of assessed value that was mandated by Prop. 13. I even got tax relief when the actual value of my properties fell below their assessed value.

Moving on, I was worried when the Democrats took control of both state houses, fearing that state spending would be unrestrained, but the Democrats have shown remarkable restraint, and Governor Brown even more. My fears were unfounded.

 

[BitterPill]

I have searched awhile and can only find the current districts. Let me know if you can find one circa 2001 or so.

I found one from 2001:

Statewide Database | 2001 California Congressional District Summaries

Thanks

You're welcome.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I'm pretty sure property taxes are still capped at the 1% of assessed value that was mandated by Prop. 13. I even got tax relief when the actual value of my properties fell below their assessed value.

Moving on, I was worried when the Democrats took control of both state houses, fearing that state spending would be unrestrained, but the Democrats have shown remarkable restraint, and Governor Brown even more. My fears were unfounded.

Did you improve your property in any way?
Only minor adjustments were made to Prop 13 but those minor tweaks are all that was needed.
Plus there were other tax laws that were tweaked. We did not need a huge tsunami of new tax revenue, but we did need a small increase. The former conservative super majority was blocking ALL increases of any kind whatsoever, as my understanding of it informs me.
Prop 13 is really a symbol of what was going on, and I acknowledge that it was a lot more complex than just the one bill.
If you did not make any significant improvements on your property, then your property taxes probably did not go way up.
Also, you're SUPPOSED to get relief when your property values fall.
Heh heh, I bet that they aren't falling right now! I don't know where in CA you happen to live but here in Whittier our property values are shooting up. The market is hot hot hot here.

We, on the other hand, DID make significant improvements on the 1996 built home we just purchased in Whittier.
It used to have two master bedrooms and two master baths...I guess the wife had a snoring husband and she hated his bathroom habits??
We combined the two bathrooms, made one into a giant shower room and remodeled the other one, then we broke the wall and turned the two master bedrooms into one giant bedroom.
That prompted a bump in our property taxes after reassessment.
Now we're about to remodel the kitchen, which will likely trigger another reassessment and another bump in the property taxes. So far the increases have not been all that bad.

 

[BitterPill]

Did you improve your property in any way?
Only minor adjustments were made to Prop 13 but those minor tweaks are all that was needed.
Plus there were other tax laws that were tweaked. We did not need a huge tsunami of new tax revenue, but we did need a small increase. The former conservative super majority was blocking ALL increases of any kind whatsoever, as my understanding of it informs me.
Prop 13 is really a symbol of what was going on, and I acknowledge that it was a lot more complex than just the one bill.
If you did not make any significant improvements on your property, then your property taxes probably did not go way up.
Also, you're SUPPOSED to get relief when your property values fall.
Heh heh, I bet that they aren't falling right now! I don't know where in CA you happen to live but here in Whittier our property values are shooting up. The market is hot hot hot here.

We, on the other hand, DID make significant improvements on the 1996 built home we just purchased in Whittier.
It used to have two master bedrooms and two master baths...I guess the wife had a snoring husband and she hated his bathroom habits??
We combined the two bathrooms, made one into a giant shower room and remodeled the other one, then we broke the wall and turned the two master bedrooms into one giant bedroom.
That prompted a bump in our property taxes after reassessment.
Now we're about to remodel the kitchen, which will likely trigger another reassessment and another bump in the property taxes. So far the increases have not been all that bad.

I live in Oceanside.

 

[RetiredUSN]

There are consequences to pay for moving out of bad neighborhoods. The liberals try to make sure of it, while chasing you with new voting boundaries.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I live in Oceanside.

Very nice place, neighbor.
I know Oceanside well, I am guessing your neck of the woods is about to experience the same positive bump pretty soon.
Even though your tax rates might rise, if you have a lot of equity in your home this may also come with some benefits, like if you refinance the remaining debt.

We did a very nice refi right after we bought for 475k. Our original mortgage AT purchase time was $2950/mo.
Post refi it is now $2000/mo, less than an 1100 sq.ft. 3BR apartment in the area and WAY WAY less than the $2600/mo we were paying on our former rental home in Downey where we lived before finding this gem in the heart of the city.



That lessens the pain of any bump in property taxes

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

There are consequences to pay for moving out of bad neighborhoods. The liberals try to make sure of it, while chasing you with new voting boundaries.

Broad sweeping generalization detected.

Funny thing, back in the 80's and 90's MY neighborhood was considered a bad neighborhood.
Know who moved out? The gang bangers, that's who.
Good riddance, I say.

Know who stayed? Most of the working class folks, many of whom are Latino.
It's about 50/50 here...appx 50% white and 50% Latino.
Know what? I LOVE em both.
We have barbecues and block parties, I go to their yard sales, they come to mine.

It almost feels a little bit like the Italian-American neighborhood on Long Island where my cousins used to live, what wonderful childhood summers those were.
Only the food and the accent is different. Same spiritual feel. Same bonds and same friendship.

 

[RetiredUSN]

Broad sweeping generalization detected.

Funny thing, back in the 80's and 90's MY neighborhood was considered a bad neighborhood.
Know who moved out? The gang bangers, that's who.
Good riddance, I say.

TRUE.............guilty as charged!

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I'm just saying, don't assassinate us all, a lot of liberals aren't screeching social justice Trigglypuffs.
Some of us are just blue collar working people just like you.

My wife is Navy.

 

[kanabco]

I found one from 2001:

Statewide Database | 2001 California Congressional District Summaries



You're welcome.

Here are two districts where you can see the before (2001) and the after (today)
View attachment 67201735
View attachment 67201736

I believe these two show the absurdity of the old alignments.
I cannot see how the democrats won or got an edge with realignment unless it was because the alignment took away republican gerrymandering advantage to make it more even.
BTW I have been around long enough to see the democrats do the same kind gerrymandering.

 

[BitterPill]

Here are two districts where you can see the before (2001) and the after (today)
View attachment 67201735
View attachment 67201736

I believe these two show the absurdity of the old alignments.
I cannot see how the democrats won or got an edge with realignment unless it was because the alignment took away republican gerrymandering advantage to make it more even.
BTW I have been around long enough to see the democrats do the same kind gerrymandering.

Before realignment, the Republicans denied the Democrats supermajorities in both houses, and that led to a great level of dysfunction. Shortly after realignment, Democrats won super majorities in both houses, and the dysfunction was lessened to a great degree.

And you are correct the Democrats do the same. That's why putting redistricting into the hands of a non-partisan citizen's committee is so effective at ameliorating gerrymandering.

 

[Jack Hays]

Before realignment, the Republicans denied the Democrats supermajorities in both houses, and that led to a great level of dysfunction. Shortly after realignment, Democrats won super majorities in both houses, and the dysfunction was lessened to a great degree.

What makes you think blocking the Dems was "dysfunction?"

 

[BitterPill]

What makes you think blocking the Dems was "dysfunction?"

Because nothing got done.

 

[Jack Hays]

Because nothing got done.

So what? Sometimes nothing is the best choice.

 

[BitterPill]

So what? Sometimes nothing is the best choice.

A lot of hard-right reactionaries think that way. That's for sure.

Naturally, when people who despise government get elected to government, government ceases to function at even a moderate level.

 

[Jack Hays]

A lot of hard-right reactionaries think that way. That's for sure.

Naturally, when people who despise government get elected to government, government ceases to function at even a moderate level.

I'm neither right nor left.

 

[BitterPill]

I'm neither right nor left.

I'm glad to hear you are no hard-right reactionary who despises government, even though I don't wholly believe it.

 

[Jack Hays]

I'm glad to hear you are no hard-right reactionary who despises government, even though I don't wholly believe it.

You are free to believe what you wish. One does not need to be hard right to desire less government. My paternal grandfather was once asked who was his favorite President. Without hesitation he answered: Calvin Coolidge. Why? He explained that for two hours every day Calvin Coolidge took a nap, and therefore for two hours every day he did nothing to harm the country. You can't say that about any other President, he concluded. And that was that.