Redistricting talks move toward compromise – Longview News

AUSTIN – Indications that compromise might not be so far away
arose last week in the redrawing of the House, Senate and U.S
congressional districts of Texas.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, acting on behalf of the
state, and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and
the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)
released statements of commitment to the negotiation process.

The statements were made following orders by Judge Orlando
Garcia, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, in San
Antonio, for plaintiffs and defendants in the redistricting
lawsuits to work together to resolve matters and to appear at a
Feb. 14 court hearing.

LULAC and MALDEF have petitioned for the maps to be drawn to
include more minority opportunity districts allowing citizens more
power in choosing who they want to represent them. The state’s
position has been that redistricting maps drawn by the Texas
Legislature are legal and enforceable in accordance with the U.S.
Voting Rights Act of 1965.

But Section 5 of the Act requires that in redrawing district
boundaries, maps must be submitted to the federal government for
preclearance in order to prevent discrimination against minorities.
The maps enacted by the Texas Legislature last spring were not
granted preclearance.

Revised sets of maps have been submitted, talks continue, and
although pressure is on to resolve any outstanding matters this
week, a complete resolution still could take weeks.

Abbott said he thinks compromise may be achieved in time for the
Texas primaries to be conducted in April.

The original date for the Texas primaries was Super Tuesday,
March 6, when 10 other states will conduct their primaries.

Last fall, the Obama administration postponed until 2013
possible approval of pipeline’s permit application over unresolved
environmental concerns.

On Feb. 6, five state senators and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst sent
a letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House
Speaker John Boehner in hopes of urging Congress immediately to
approve construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline part of which runs
from Canada though the Great Plains and East Texas to the Gulf of
Mexico.

In their letter, Dewhurst and Republican Sens. Bob Deuell of
Greenville, Troy Fraser of Horseshoe Bay, Joan Huffman of Houston,
Mike Jackson of La Porte and Tommy Williams of The Woodlands, wrote
that construction of the pipeline would “create 20,000 jobs,
support 118,000 spinoff jobs for local businesses and generate more
than $20 billion in economic output.”

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs announced last week that state
sales tax revenue in January was $2 billion, up 9.5 percent
compared to January 2011.

Combs, who said collections have increased for 22 consecutive
months, pointed out that the recent monthly increase was led by the
oil and natural gas-related sectors, and restaurants and services
sectors also showed significant gains.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs on Feb. 8 released a 16-page
document describing the effects of the 2011 drought, current and
future water resources in the state and solutions to help solve the
water crisis.

According to the document titled “The Impact of the 2011 Drought
and Beyond” the state’s current water plan predicts demand will
increase by 22 percent by 2060 and should Texas experience another
“mega-drought” as severe as the 1950s drought, “it could cost Texas
businesses and workers nearly $116 billion in income by 2060.”

Speed limit increases for nearly 1,500 miles of interstate
highways in the Lone Star State have either been posted or soon
will be by TxDOT, as announced at the Texas Transportation
Commission meeting on Jan. 26.

House Bill 1353 authorized the commission to increase the legal
speed limit on certain portions of highway in some 60 counties to
75 miles per hour and eliminate the 65 mile per hour nighttime
speed limit as appropriate.

Prior to the enactment of HB 1353 last May, Texas had 1,445
miles of 75 mph speed limits and 521 miles of 80 mph speed limits
designated on certain state highways, the Texas Department of
Transportation said.

The bill actually took effect on Sept. 1, 2011, but signs are
being changed “as soon as practicable.” The Highway Patrol enforces
posted speed limits.

Ed Sterling is director of Member Services for the Texas Press
Association in Austin.

Article source: http://www.news-journal.com/atlanta/opinion/redistricting-talks-move-toward-compromise/article_ba5eced5-325c-5654-a90d-bb14abe17901.html