Update via Facebook:
We want to let everyone know there is a VIP signing event Wednesday at the State Capitol. Democrat Mayor Peter Corroon and Republican former congressman Jim Hansen will ceremoniously sign the first serial numbered petition packet. Officers of the Constitution, Green and Libertarian parties have also been invited to review the petition and send officers to the event.
We also want to keep everyone up to date on the various organizing meetings that will be taking place this week statewide:
* Salt Lake County organization meeting 8/15 10:30 at 2261 S. Redwood Road (REFRESHMENTS!)
* Davis County organization meeting 8/15 7:30 PM 1531 W 2175 S, Syracuse (REFRESHMENTS!)
* Washington County 8/11 10:00 am St. George City Library–contact Cyril Noble
* Cache County Administration building 8/18 6:30 PM–contact Kathy Snyder
And via email:
News Advisory
Contact: Fair Boundaries Coalition
Randy Miller
2261 S. Redwood Road, #L
PO Box 3594
Salt Lake City, UT 84110
801-886-1330
www.fairboundaries.org
randy@fairboundaries.org
For Immediate Release
Monday, August 10, 2009
Non-Partisan Support Kicks Off Citizen-Based Initiative
(Salt Lake City, Utah) – August 10, 2009 – “Government by the people” will get a jump start in Utah Wednesday, August 12th, when former State and US Congressman Jim Hansen and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon meet to be the first signatories of the Fair Boundaries Initiative, a grassroots movement designed to limit conflicts of interest and gerrymandering during the redistricting process.
The citizen-based initiative is gaining broad support despite resistance from some legislators who feel threatened by it. Fair Boundaries believes that elected officials should not draw their own election districts and effectively select their own voters. An independent commission, without these obvious conflicts of interest, should draw maps for adoption by the legislature with guidelines that keep more of Utah’s local communities intact.
Ten years ago, Utah saw one of the nation’s worst cases of gerrymandering, manipulating voting districts to secure seats after the 2000 census. For example, Moab, Grand County’s most populous city, is split in half down its main street. Tooele County is split into four Senate districts despite requests from the Tooele County
Commission to keep it in one district. Consequently, none of their state senators actually reside in the county.
Breaking communities into unnatural voting districts weakens citizens’ representation on the state level and diminishes representatives’ accountability to voters.
WHO: Salt Lake Mayor Peter Corroon
Former State and US Congressman Jim Hansen
Both will be available for statements following the signing.
WHAT: First signing of Fair Boundaries Initiative Petition
WHEN: Wednesday, August 12th at 10:00AM
WHERE: Capitol Steps in Salt Lake City
WHY: Citizens want their individual and community interests represented, but by officially supporting Fair Boundaries, elected officials (current and former) may jeopardize their standing within political circles where manipulating the system is acceptable as long as it maintains the status quo. Rep. Jim Hansen and Mayor Peter Corroon both show courageous leadership in advocating for proper representation for Utah’s local communities.
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