Roosevelt Island NY State Assembly District Moving To Queens In Proposed Redistricting Map - "You Can Make This Nonsense Stop" Says Local Activist Supported By Political Leaders, Join Your Neighbors At Public Hearing February 7

 As reported December 5, 2022:

According to the NY State Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) draft Assembly map released Thursday December 1, Roosevelt Island and portions of the Upper East Side will be moved from Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright's Manhattan 76 Assembly District to the mostly Queens 36th Assembly District currently represented by Zohran Mamdani....

... Roosevelt Island resident Joyce Short was a leader in the successful organizing efforts to keep Roosevelt Island in the traditional Manhattan State Senate and City Council Districts. Ms Short is getting ready to organize against the draft Assembly map removing Roosevelt Island from the rest of Manhattan....

Ms Short reports today: 

Tomorrow is the day for the NY State Independent Redistricting Commission's hearing on whether Roosevelt Island's Assembly District will be drop kicked to Queens.

As a Manhattan Island with strong ties to the mainland of Manhattan for close to 50 years, and a government infrastructure from the State of NY where Manhattan representation is essential to voice our interests in Albany, this change could be extremely harmful for our community.... for our school, for operating our tram, for construction during the expansion of Cornell Tech, for our policing, and more.

The public is invited to testify beginning at 4 PM tomorrow afternoon. 4 PM today is the cutoff for written comments.

Please use the QR or clink on this link for more information.

Assembly Member Seawright reported last December 6:

Commissioners on New York's redistricting panel voted Thursday to advance a new proposed map for state Assembly legislative boundaries. I am very disappointed to see that the proposal for our AD76 would eliminate Roosevelt Island and redistrict it to a Queens Assembly District. I am committed to fighting alongside constituents to keep Roosevelt Island where it belongs.

Roosevelt Islanders were so powerful in their testimony during the New York City Council districting process, I believe together we can make an unequivocally strong argument to keep Manhattan's Roosevelt Island with our Manhattan Assembly District 76. The process for state redistricting requires rigorous scrutiny, consistent with a process that ensures fairness, provides a platform for all voices, and carefully reviews all options.

The next steps are a series of public hearings around the State. The hearing in Manhattan will be on February 7, 2023 at the Hunter College Kaye Playhouse. I urge all concerned to share their views by testifying in person or submitting comments to the Commission directly at www.nyirc.gov/participate.

Roosevelt Island and Upper East Side Democratic Party leaders oppose splitting Roosevelt Island Assembly District representation from the Upper East Side.

Tomorrow I will testify on behalf of the AD76 Dem leaders against @NYS_IRC's proposal to split Roosevelt Island from the Upper East Side in the new Assembly map. Read our testimony 👇 @kimmosc @bd_wetz @RSWinNYC @EricaForNY @JeremyBermanNY @FourFreedomsNYC https://t.co/W2g18bVI4L

— Gabriel Panek (@GabrielPanek) February 6, 2023

Ms Short adds:

We can do this! Wear your best Roosevelt Island RED and show up for our community even if you don't want to speak. Travel with the "Group Meet",  F train, RI station, 3 PM Tuesday, 2/7.

Here's the proposed NY State Assembly map moving Roosevelt Island from the Manhattan 76 AD to the mostly 36 AD.

See the full map at https://newyork.redistrictingandyou.org

UPDATE 2/8 - Here's the testimony delivered on behalf of Assembly Member Seawright at the NYS Independent Redistricting Commission hearing yesterday afternoon at Hunter College. Ms Seawright was in Albany for the legislative session.