Crunch Time For City Council: Redistricting Map Must Be Finished By Friday
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The paychecks of Philadelphia City Council members hang in the balance this week as the lawmakers struggle to agree on new boundaries for the ten council districts.
Council members last week couldn't reach agreement on a new map and ended up approving two slightly different maps. This Thursday, they could give final approval to one or the other, or send both to the mayor, making him choose.
The major issue is the heavily Democratic 56th ward in the Northeast. The only Republican district council member, Brian O'Neill, trying to keep as much of that ward as possible out of his district, "My percentage of Republicans is not going to change as a result of any of these maps. (The issue) is which Democrats I have. Some Democratic areas are more willing once in a while to vote for a specific Republican. I like my chances in that case."
If City Council and the mayor don't settle on a single new map by this Friday, the council members won't get paid -- that's under restrictions set up in the City Charter.
Reported by City Hall Bureau Chief Mike Dunn, KYW Newsradio 1060
