Rural-Urban Issue Divides Redistricting Committee

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Divisions have begun to surface in the legislative committee responsible for drafting a map that would split Utah's three congressional districts into four. At issue is how best to treat the state's rural counties. Democratic lawmakers want to lump most of the rural areas into one district.

"If you look at issues associated with urban and rural, often they are polar opposites," says Democratic Representative David Litvack. "So is it fair to either constituency that their representative has to choose between one or the other?"

The redistricting committee considered ten different maps - one of which was proposed by the Democrats and put most of the states rural areas in one district. That map was not one of the three chosen by the committee for public hearing next week. Republican lawmakers appear to support a philosophy that splits the rural counties up between the four districts. Senator Michael Waddoups supports one such proposal:

"I just think under this plan rural Utah is going to have all of the Congressional districts making sure that rural Utah is looked after," says Waddoups. "Rather than just one person and the rest saying 'Oh well.'"

Litvack says the three maps now headed for public comment are too similar to engender any real debate. On Monday, the committee will hold hearings in Provo, Price and Saint George. Tuesday's hearings will be in Salt Lake, Ogden and Park City.

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