Alderperson Matt Reed’s Speech On The Non-Partisan Redistricting Referendum – “These People Are Not Accountable To The Voters”

Although District 8’s alderperson Matt Reed voted in favor of putting the non-partisan redistricting referendum on the April 6 ballot, he did express concerns about the actual aims of the referendum and the practical ramifications of implementing a non-partisan redistricting process. He was concerned that such a system would result is less oversight and accountability. Here is his speech.

Matt Reed: “The last thing I want to just mention is–and I’m speaking more to the public here, whoever wants to listen or…um…the fundamental problem I see with this is, this is–we’re calling it non-partisan but I think it would be better if we had some sort of bipartisan solution because by having a non-partisan solution, you’re taking this process away from the elected officials and the legislature and placing it with some sort of anointed, appointed, whatever body–retired judges, citizens, whatever. These people are not accountable to the voters; they’re not accountable to the public. And whatever they decide to do with these lines is beyond the scope of what the legislature does, and they can’t be changed by voters like you would–if you don’t don’t like the result in the legislature, change the legislature. And I think you’re actually undermining what you’re trying to accomplish here by taking that away from the legislature. If you don’t like the way they’ve been doing it, then that can be changed by electing different people to the legislature and changing the political mix so to speak. Um, so, obviously I’m in the minority here; I’m fine with that. Um, I just want to make sure that people are aware of what this actually–the substance of what this means. It sounds really nice on the outside, but I think there’s more to it than just the word “non-partisan” because there’s ramifications here that people need to know before they make their vote. So thank you.”