Public Hearing for Commissioner Precinct proposals is happening today at 4 PM! If Ellis’s proposal passes, the negative impact on services you are accustomed to receiving from County Commissioners will be significant. You have until 2 PM today to register to speak virtually, and up until the hearing begins at 4 PM to register to speak in person. Your participation is crucial! For more information on the proposals and how to sign up and voice your concerns, visit: https://conta.cc/3aPlScp.
Email to the Association from Commissioner Ramsey on 10-21-2021
Many of you have probably heard the chatter around redistricting for the Precincts, and I wanted you to hear the facts directly from me. Here’s what we know:
- On Friday, October 15th, Commissioner Ellis released his proposed map that would put the majority of unincorporated Harris County into Precinct 4. (https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcao.harriscountytx.gov%252FPortals%252F20%252FDocuments%252FEllis%252520Demonstration%252520Map.pdf%253Fver%253DtRev37byI64RIIVsFtdfBA%25253d%25253d%26data%3D04%257C01%257CPct3ServiceDept%2540pct3.hctx.net%257C1c82f0accc574c5c6adc08d993fbf98e%257C0d9bc79c581b4477acf78d70dd3e555a%257C0%257C0%257C637703532699290807%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000%26sdata%3DpV26ynfdgsuiiu8a7dr%252F8GYUbP%252BGJ4dz7BV6fziO6TM%253D%26reserved%3D0&source=gmail&ust=1634908438259000&usg=AFQjCNF_OQZhxKCBeDSJU5lBY9nd8ssXLQ">Click here to view it)
- That weekend, a public hearing to discuss redistricting options was scheduled for Thursday, October 21st at 4 PM; however, no official notice was given to the public until mid-day on Monday, October 18th.
- As of right now, only Precincts 3 and 4 have actively promoted the public hearing.
There are currently 4 proposed redistricting maps available for public review. They can be viewed https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcao.harriscountytx.gov%252FCommissioner-Precinct-Redistricting%252FPlan-Proposals%26data%3D04%257C01%257CPct3ServiceDept%2540pct3.hctx.net%257C1c82f0accc574c5c6adc08d993fbf98e%257C0d9bc79c581b4477acf78d70dd3e555a%257C0%257C0%257C637703532699300748%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000%26sdata%3DFHD%252BIgKJEP%252FlgUXTIYn91m8z6JgthaoEnbVr0CeL0m8%253D%26reserved%3D0&source=gmail&ust=1634908438259000&usg=AFQjCNHYg1k3GKQfHFPcY0C6sJalwyeTeQ">here. This includes Ellis’s recommendation, my recommendation, and two others from public individuals. Below are the concerns for the other proposals, specifically with Ellis’s.
Precinct 3 would lose:
- 500,000 current constituents
- Approximately 50% of roads, bridges, and drainage maintenance responsibilities
- 29 parks and 5 community centers
Impacts to Harris County as a whole include:
- Disruption to more than 25% of the County's population in terms of services due to the transition
- The unincorporated area (the source of growth for Harris County) will be underserved
- During a storm event, it would be impossible to respond effectively to communities 60 miles apart (distance from Baytown to Katy)
- Voter demographic unfairly represented
I’m not going to sugarcoat this. Ellis’s plan is worrisome. The probability of this passing is possible unless Harris County residents get loud, so loud that we force this to litigation. Under his proposed plan, over a million people will be negatively impacted, majority of which are unincorporated residents.
I can tell you that I am fighting my hardest to keep us intact. But I need your help in getting the word out. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell all the constituents you interact with – anyone and everyone in Harris County. There is a big problem headed our way, and they need to be heard at tomorrow’s public hearing. https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fagenda.harriscountytx.gov%252F%26data%3D04%257C01%257CPct3ServiceDept%2540pct3.hctx.net%257C1c82f0accc574c5c6adc08d993fbf98e%257C0d9bc79c581b4477acf78d70dd3e555a%257C0%257C0%257C637703532699300748%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000%26sdata%3DquXIfQRBBzHqm6ABW3TiEhQU6LitV4a05aTUbthyrfE%253D%26reserved%3D0&source=gmail&ust=1634908438259000&usg=AFQjCNEiztT8fRwj_WJkIRxc5Rb-BlGTxw">Click here for details.
Here are links to the newsletters we recently distributed that you can also share. https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fconta.cc%252F3pfDxCu%26data%3D04%257C01%257CPct3ServiceDept%2540pct3.hctx.net%257C1c82f0accc574c5c6adc08d993fbf98e%257C0d9bc79c581b4477acf78d70dd3e555a%257C0%257C0%257C637703532699310717%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000%26sdata%3DjKXB%252FujgXcDtMfrXOZ%252F2WUpTRB2kpFvymuql8%252Fgq5FA%253D%26reserved%3D0&source=gmail&ust=1634908438260000&usg=AFQjCNF93usT3NNCzFSRvsn55CG6cSv29A">Newsletter 1 https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fconta.cc%252F3aPlScp%26data%3D04%257C01%257CPct3ServiceDept%2540pct3.hctx.net%257C1c82f0accc574c5c6adc08d993fbf98e%257C0d9bc79c581b4477acf78d70dd3e555a%257C0%257C0%257C637703532699320671%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000%26sdata%3DMliWXMmIOqebf%252FlZUmsNgJsYOujI48dN4cQ53zoHSvw%253D%26reserved%3D0&source=gmail&ust=1634908438260000&usg=AFQjCNECZTVgRrwumsUYbJp0EcktOvviJg">Newsletter 2
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.
This is urgent, and now is the time to act.
- Commissioner Tom Ramsey