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REDISTRICTING MAPS UNDERGO PUBLIC SCRUTINY

Posted today on AZ Week Notebook is this blog regarding the Independent Redistricting Commission's latest action, and the reaction to it.

Read it here and watch Arizona Week Friday for a full rundown and analysis of the issues in redistricting.

Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission Arizona Redistricting,

REDISTRICTING: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE TO HATE

The draft legislative and congressional maps approved by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission and now up for public scrutiny are drawing fire from nearly all quarters.

Republicans and Latinos, most of the latter being Democrats, were critical of the congressional draft map produced a week ago, as detailed in this blog on Monday.

Democrats are complaining this week -- oddly enough, on behalf of independent voters -- about the legislative draft map approved Monday on 4-1 vote of the commission.

State Democratic Party Executive Director Luis Heredia released a statement, quoted in the Arizona Capitol Times, saying :“The legislative draft map ... lacks competitive districts and is a giant step backward, as drawn. Without more competition, extremists will continue to get elected and will discourage independent voters from having any say in Arizona’s future."

The Democratic complaint could have at its source the fact that without more competitive districts, the party stands little chance of making headway in a state that has a plurality of Republicans. Next in line are independents, and as the 2011 election results showed, they are leaning Republican these days.

The draft maps now are subject to 30 days of public comment at a series of commission hearings starting today. Then, final adjustments will be made before the maps are shipped off to the U.S. Justice Department for pre-clearance under the U.S. Voting Rights Act.

Arizona Democratic Party Independent Redistricting Commission,

REDISTRICTING WORK HITS FEVER PITCH

Over at our sister blog, Arizona Week Notebook, the topic this week is redistricting. Read all about it all week as the political faceoff develops.

And watch Arizona Week on Friday for the latest developments.


AZ REDISTRICTING: LEGISLATIVE MAP COMING SOON

Few people seemed happy with the results of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission's first major effort, the congressional district draft map.

Now comes the opportunity for more unhappiness, in reaction to its efforts at a legislative district draft map, due any day now.

The commission voted 3-1, with one abstention, last week on the draft congressional map. Independent commission Chair Colleen Mathis and Democrats Jose Herrera and Linda McNulty voted in favor; Republican Richard Stertz voted against; Republican Scott Freeman abstained.

Republicans seemed the most furious over the draft map. Gov. Jan Brewer led the way, issuing a statement that called the map "gerrymandering at its worst" and accusing the commission of "neglect of duty and gross misconduct.” She threatened to go to the Legislature to seek removal of commission chair Mathis.

Latino leaders in Tucson also expressed dismay at the splitting of Tucson's community. A group called the Hispanic Coalition for Good Government wrote a letter to the commission, saying the draft congressional map means "Pima County's Hispanic community will have virtually no opportunity to elect a candidate of their (sic) choice."

Based strictly on voter registration, the new map would estasblish four strong Republican districts, two strong Democratic districts and three competitive districts.

The 2010 election gave Republicans five of Arizona's eight congressional seats and Democrats three. That's a reversal from the 2008 election in which Democrats had five and Republicans three.


YOUR FAVORITE NEW SHOW

Insert Here Your Fave Show

What's new, pussycat?

It's that time of year when many of the longtime PBS shows launch their new seasons. Masterpiece Mystery! and Masterpiece Contemporary are the ones I'm looking forward to the most. NOVA and Nature also have some cool new specials coming.

If you haven't noticed, Saturdays are looking a bit different. Now that summer is over, my Hollywood at Home movie series has started. I was relieved to get calls on the inaugural Monday with thanks and high praise for the Thin Man. Check out our new movie package on Saturdays at 9 PM and see our new Hollywood @ Home website for some cool trivia and behind the scenes information

I will have a movie marathon on T-day and Christmas. Check out the site for updated scheduling!

Music Man

A new series called PBS Arts is about to kick off. The highlight for me is the Oct. 21st broadcast of Pearl Jam Twenty by award-winning director and music journalist Cameron Crowe. PBS Arts airs on Fridays at 9:30 PM starting October 14th.

It's that time of year where I must attend marketplaces from major distributors to find new shows for Southern Arizona. Remember Outnumbered and the Ladies of Letters? (smile) Last year, I selected those two comedies, along with Black Books, new Lark Rise, Robin Hood, and Posh Nosh. All of these programs have aired and we will begin The Worst Year of My Life in 2012!

Hollywood at Home was discovered last year, and so was the beautiful nature documentary series, Wild South America (it was gorgeous!) and Wild Lives, along with a medical science package called Blood & Guts.

Not everything was new. Some of the fan favorite BritComs, documentaries and dramas also had to be re-upped. You may have heard of them--Keeping Up Appearances, As Time Goes By, BallyK, Sherlock, MI-5, Prime Suspect, Vicar of Dibley, and more.

Now I'm off to discover shows for 2012-2013. I'm heading out for a short BBC trip and then will be locked into my office watching TV. I'll keep you updated on our Facebook page @AZpublicmedia of my show discoveries. I'd love to hear from you, especially what you adore. That inspires me to find a new show for you to fall in love with!

BTW, I'm a terrific wheeler and dealer, but must admit, I'm doomed without a programming budget. Your membership dollars at work, folks. Tell your friends to keep supporting us so that your favorite shows can continue to air!

Stay tuned!

Susie the TV Programmer

Schedule BritComs,

THE FACE OF POVERTY: WE DON'T SEE IT

A decade ago, a Tucson politician set out to do something about poverty.

The politician took aim at the poor people who populated traffic medians at city intersections, where they stationed themselves each day trying to cadge spare change from motorists.

They were a raggedy bunch in worn clothing, with sunbaked skin and unkempt hair. They were the very visible face of poverty in Tucson, and not a pretty face at that.

So this politician, on the pretext of concern for their safety, began a drive to get them off the medians. In a few months time, six of the seven City Council members voted to ban solicitation of motorists from medians.

The panhandlers quickly disappeared from the medians. They weren’t gone, though. They were simply out of sight, out of mind, at least in the city of Tucson.

They were too messy to deal with, perhaps because they reminded us that we’re a society less egalitarian than we care to admit.

That was a decade ago. Today, we likely have more poor people among us. But where are they?

Not on city medians. Rather, in line at food banks, which are overwhelmed with requests. At homeless shelters that don’t have enough room. Waiting for meals at soup kitchens where resources are stretched thin.

Governmental help is minimal. Arizona’s Department of Economic Security has closed 10 offices around the state, cut cash assistance to poor families by 20 percent and reduced the amount of time families are eligible for assistance, knocking 14,000 households off the list.

These statistics are not enough for us to know the pain, to recognize that we’re a society in which people who need help aren't getting it, although they ought to. For that, we need to see the face of poverty.

Ten years ago, we in Tucson chose to let our politicians hide that face. And now, many of us have forgotten what it looks like.

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