SYRACUSE -- A New York State task force on redistricting held its first of twelve hearings in Syracuse Tuesday morning.
Senator Mike Nozzolio of the Finger Lakes is the chairman of the New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. The committee was greeted at Syracuse City Hall by about twenty demonstrators.
Among them was the New York Public Interest Research Group which is demanding a more transparent process that takes into the account the interests of the people and not politicians.
"We're here to speak for the 19 million New Yorkers who are tired of this process, "said Bill Mahoney of NYPIRG, "and who are tired of living in a district that are under represented because of partisan bickering."
Nozzolio would not address the talk that Representative Ann Marie Buerkle's Congressional seat could be eliminated. He said it's too soon to know which two New York seats will be cut.
"The population losses from Utica to Western New York, particularly west of Rochester have been excessive," said Nozzolio. "Those population losses require New York to lose two congressional seats."
Hearings continue over the next several weeks in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and White Plains, among other New York communities.
