THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996 TAG: 9602100010
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
Beginning in 1998, Virginia Beach voters no longer will be divided into antiquated boroughs of wildly varying sizes and quaint names.
Instead, they'll be living in numbered districts, each with about 56,000 people. Under the old system, the boroughs had populations ranging from 1,000 in rural Blackwater to 150,000 in Kempsville.
To a large degree the citizens in each district will share concerns. For instance, most of rural Virginia Beach is corralled into District 7, giving farmers and lovers of open spaces a strong, united voice on City Council and School Board.
At least that is the hope of the new redistricting plan approved last week by City Council to comply with a General Assembly order to toss out the old borough boundaries.
In an at-large voting system like the current one, the old system was only slightly at odds with the philosophy of one man, one vote. The Beach has 11 City Council and School Board members, all elected citywide. Seven members on each body are borough representatives and must live within the boundaries of their borough.
In May, Virginia Beach voters are being asked to consider whether they want to switch to a ward system of elections. Though we oppose a ward system, if the voters choose one, new, equally populated districts are imperative. The new districts will take effect in 1998 regardless of the May vote.
Of the four plans submitted to City Council, the one selected seemed most logical. It was drawn by three council members: W. W. ``Bill'' Harrison, Barbara Henley and John Baum.
In addition to consolidating the rural part of the city, the new map keeps most of the Oceanfront and resort area together in District 6 - giving those voters a lot of muscle. Populous Kempsville is split in two, affording those voters two representatives to speak for their concerns.
Only one incumbent council member stands to lose a seat under the new plan: either Henley or Baum, both from the farm belt. Both attached their names to the plan, signaling their support for a united rural voice on council - at the peril of their own political careers. They are to be commended for such civic-mindedness.
Council did a fine job of solving this knotty issue. Redistricting is always fraught with problems. The new districts appear logical and well-considered. by CNB