ANC6B09 Commissioner Flahaven Calls for Rally To Save Ward 6
The following announcement was released Saturday by Flahaven.
For many years, our Capitol Hill community has united in an effort to grow, and has succeeded — developing from a few blocks in the shadow of the Capitol into a vibrant, productive neighborhood. Today, the Hill not only encompasses the foundations of our nation’s history, but also includes Eastern Market, many bustling restaurants and businesses, successful schools, and beautiful parks… stretching all the way to the Hill East Waterfront. Now, the DC Council’s redistricting plan is threatening to erase all of this hard work — by moving a significant portion of Hill East and its Waterfront into Ward 7.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SAVE WARD 6?
Join your friends and neighbors for the Rally to Keep Capitol Hill Together Tuesday, May 24, 2011. 5:45 p.m. — meet at Lincoln Park (plaza at 13th & East Capitol Sts. SE). Be ready to march to the Rally for Ward 6!
Contact DC Councilmembers on the Redistricting Subcommittee by Wed, May 25, 2011. Call or email the Councilmembers below to let them know your concerns:
• The schools, businesses, and community organizations on the Hill are tied together. Ward 7’s distinct neighborhoods have different priorities and interests.
• After all the work we have poured into improving schools (like Eastern High School), they will fall into the hands of a Councilmember who will struggle to represent them from across the river.
• Don’t let us become a community divided. If “contiguous” and “compact” are keywords to redistricting, Capitol Hill and Hill East fit the bill — keeping neighborhoods like ours intact should be a key part of the process.
Michael Brown (I-At-Large), Co-Chair Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Co-Chair. Phone: 202-724-8105 Phone: 202-724-8058 Email: mbrown@dccouncil.us Email: jackevans@dccouncil.us
Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large) Phone: 202-724-8064 Email: pmendelson@dccouncil.us
If you have questions, contact Brian Flahaven, ANC 6B09 Commissioner, at brianf6b09@anc6b.org or 202-658-9447.
To learn more about the redistricting issue, visit DC Council’s redistricting website for additional information on the process: http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/redistricting2011info. Keep Hill East united with the rest of Capitol Hill in Ward 6
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 
5:45pm? Was the plan to make it hard for people to go?
Hello Chris,
We will gather at 5:45 at Lincoln Park…march begins at 6:05-6:10….rally will be at 6:30 or so at Eastern High School. Please show up as soon as you can.
Thanks for your help!
Mathematical Fact: Some neighborhood west of the river will become a part of Ward 7 when redistricting is finished.
Question: Why somebody’s else neighborhood and not Hill East?
Sounds like gerrymandering to me…and a lot of code words…why not just come right out and say what you really mean.
@CaptObvious, the reason why not Hill East is that it is an important part of this community, from the planning of schools in the Ward to how the ANC works together, to how a large geographic area around res13 has to deal with it and who uses the cemetery etc etc. There are lots of things that not only unite this community, but that we have accomplished by working together. Slicing off the edge to get a hold of a couple of prime non-residential properties is misguided in my opinion.
I heard Cm Mendelson today and his arguments are mathematical, but do not actually reflect the circumstances on the ground or the best interests of the City. There are lots of ways to get to absolute equity in terms of the size of the district but pursuing a certain principle of mathematical equity without some broader purpose and without consideration of the community impact is not wise.
I think others on the council are starting to see this and hopefully the plan they announce will reflect the community concerns raised.
Mr. Frishberg
The law is clear – each ward must be equal, +/- 5%. That means, at a minimum, that either ward 7 and/or 8 must cross the river. And the minimum only gets Wards 7 and 8 into compliance, yet alone getting them to equity with the other wards.
The math is clear – the Anacostia river, no matter how natural it may be as a boundary, will have to be crossed, meaning that some community will be saddled with some sort of ‘arbitrary’ boundary.