WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Community Redistricting Advisory Committee at its penultimate meeting on Tuesday advanced two proposed redistricting plans to its final meeting later this month.
Both would keep the current seven districts mostly intact, a key goal of the committee because of a possible undercount in the 2020 Census, which experts say was largely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and rhetoric from the Trump administration.
The only difference between the two proposed maps comes in a neighborhood at the border of the 2nd and 6th districts.
The “green” plan, prepared by third-party demographer Michael Wagaman on recommendations from the committee, would move Rogers Avenue from the 6th district to the 2nd.
The “Rivera” plan, meanwhile, would move areas of Oregon, California and Washington streets as well as Hill Avenue from the 2nd to the 6th district, eliminating a region of the 2nd district known in political circles as “The Thumb” because of its shape.
Committee member Nick Rivera, who was appointed by Mayor Jimmy Dutra, the 6th district City Council representative, proposed the latter plan.
Rivera said he wanted that change because that area was more similar to communities of interest—defined as a group of residents with a common set of concerns that may be affected by legislation—in the 6th district.
“I think that area is a community of interest both economically, and architecturally,” Rivera said. “It’s a unique area, and I do think it should be consolidated into one district.”
The committee, a seven-member group appointed by the City Council, had eight plans in front of it on Tuesday. It also discussed moving forward another map proposing wide-ranging changes to various districts with the intent of uniting several communities of interest along Clifford Avenue.
But concerns about census undercount and a possible dilution of power in the 1st and 2nd districts—historically representing large Latino populations—halted that discussion.
The committee will make its recommendation for the City Council on Dec. 9. The City Council will then have two special public meetings in January to determine the final district maps.
To see the current draft maps, contact the committee or submit a draft map, visit cityofwatsonville.org/2193/Redistricting.
