District 3 townhall meeting results...Surprising?

Joe Carollo’s District 3 townhall meeting Wednesday surprised us.  All the residents attending from Carollo’s own district advocated for the reunification of neighborhoods during the current redistricting.  Citing the ten neighborhoods currently divided, redistricting was described as an opportunity not to be missed. 

Commissioner Carollo during his remarks during last Friday’s special commission meeting described how, when he was mayor, districts were originally created and  they were intentionally “yes, gerrymandered” along racial lines.[1] “We gerrymandered and broke up numerous neighborhoods”.  “Since then we’ve had a couple or more revisions…and this is why we have the dilemma we are discussing today.”

Although completely wrong, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla declared that splitting up neighborhoods was the only alternative available.[2]  Commissioner Carollo repeated that incorrect statement last night.  However, the City’s consultant that drafted the proposed district maps, Miguel DeGrandy, testified that many other alternatives that reunified split neighborhoods were possible.[3]  Mr DeGrandy very clearly stated that unifying neighborhoods was explicitly the lowest priority he was given by the commissioners.

The gerrymandered districts sponsored by Carollo more than 25 years ago are no longer appropriate for the Miami of today or tomorrow.  Stop this rush to redistrict.  Reunify Miami’s split neighborhoods.

[3] Most recently at District 2’s townhall meeting 2/28/22, City Hall.

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