By Rich Bockmann
Three Queens residents have been appointed to the commission that will redraw New York’s City Council lines ahead of the 2013 elections.
The NYC Districting Commission consists of 15 members appointed by the mayor and the Council. The commission will use U.S. Census Bureau data to evaluate each of the city’s 51 districts and, after holding public hearings, will submit its final plan to the Council.
Former state Sen. Frank Padavan is one of seven appointees chosen by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“We expect to have our first meeting within the next few weeks,” said Padavan, a Republican who spent 28 years in the Senate. During that time, he served as that body’s second in command as well as chairman of the Committees on Cities and Mental Hygiene and Addiction Control. Padavan lives in Jamaica Estates.
Council Democrats, who as the majority party were allotted five appointees, chose Forest Hills resident Linda Lin, a senior attorney with Liberty International Underwriters. Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s (D-Manhattan) website lists Lin as the president of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, though that organization lists her as the immediate past president.
“Linda has been following the redistricting issue closely and is well-informed about the impact that properly drawn district lines will have on the civic engagement of under-represented populations, including the Asian-American community,” said AABANY President Jean Lee. “With the explosive growth of the Asian-American population in New York City over the past decade, we hope that the City Council Districting Commission will draw lines taking into account this significant demographic shift.”
Council Republicans chose former member Thomas Ognibene as one of their three appointees. Ognibene served as the Council’s minority leader and chaired the Committee on Veteran’s Affairs. He also served as a member of the Finance, Housing and Buildings, General Welfare and Aging committees.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
