Councilman Lashes Out at Redistricting Panel, Mayor Over District Boundaries

 In response to new proposed City Council district boundaries, Councilman Bernard Parks released a sharply worded statement yesterday, calling the new district maps a "racially motivated assault" on South Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission, which began meeting last fall, voted 12-5 Wednesday to approve final boundaries for City Council districts that will last until after the 2020 census. The maps are a recommendation to the City Council, which has final say and will begin debating the district boundaries in committee tomorrow. The maps are slated for a final vote on March 16.

The commission moved the prominent black residential neighborhoods of Baldwin Hills and Leimert Park from Parks' 8th District into City Council President Herb Wesson's 10th District. The commission removed the University of Southern California from Parks' district but added Latino neighborhoods around the campus.

If ultimately approved, Parks would see the black population in his district dip from 41.7 percent to 37.8 percent. The Hispanic population would rise from 49.1 percent to 56.1 percent.

Based on voter registration, the new maps would give Parks' and Wesson's districts a narrow black majority.

Parks accused the commission of trying to create majority Latino districts without proper study, and he disagreed that black representation would be lasting. "It's only a fleeting accomplishment because, based on reality, there is no way African Americans in CD10 will continue to populate to maintain that number," he said. "Meanwhile, reducing the African-American (voting-age population) in CD8 puts the last remaining majority African- American district on the fast track to become the newest majority Latino district, meaning that in a very short time, there will not be an African- American district to speak of."

Parks also directed his anger at Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "It's ironic that (the mayor), who enjoyed 55 percent of the African-American vote to get elected, is now working through his appointed commissioners to disenfranchise African-American voters," Parks said. "Mayor Villaraigosa makes a hell of a Black History Month speech, but the majority of the people I represent are as black in February as they are the other 11 months of the year.

"Attempting to silence their political voice in secret is not appreciated, nor will it be accepted," he added.

A spokesman for mayor Antonio Villaraigosa declined to comment.

Parks and City Councilwoman Jan Perry have threatened to file a lawsuit to block the new maps from going into effect if they are not changed before gaining final approval.

The redistriction commission's process also enraged residents in Koreatown, Westchester and Studio City, who said the commission ignored public pleas for their communities to be placed into one district.

"I wish you were able to vote your conscience, had done the right thing, allowed for democracy to really thrive," Grace Yoo, executive director of the Korean American Coalition, told the commission. "There is the court of law, and we will see, unfortunately, some of you there."