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Ramsey County <br />wo��g wm r� ro <br />Enhance Qu* Qualily of Lifc <br />TO: <br />FR�M: <br />DATE: <br />SUBJECT: <br />Ramsey County Board of Commissioners <br />22Q Court Hpuse <br />15 West Kelfogg Boule�ard <br />St. PauE, MN 557.OZ •{651) 266-835Q • Fax (651) 266-8370 <br />www.co.ramsey.mn.us <br />MEMORANDUM <br />Ramsey County Mayors <br />Ramsey County City Council Members <br />Ramsey County School Board Members <br />Victoria Reinhardt, Chair, Ramsey County Board af Commissioners <br />May 9, 2�11 <br />Congressionaf Redistricting <br />Tony Bennett <br />ToniCarter <br />Jim IVlcf]onough <br />Rafae! Qrtega <br />!an Parker <br />VicYoria Reinhardt <br />Janice Rettman <br />Julie Kleinschmidt <br />County Manager <br />The Ramsey Couniy Board of Commissioners wfluld like your support for a County Board resolution that <br />addresses congressional redistricting. In R�solution #2011-100, the County Board requests the State <br />Legisfat�are and the Gorrernor to de�elap a redistricting plan that maintains Ramsey County as a whole within <br />one congressiflnal districf. Ramsey County has effectively been a whole political jurisdiction in a s�ngle <br />Congressiana! district since 1$91. <br />Mainfaining Ramsey Co�nty within one congressional disfrict is consistent with congressional redistrfcting <br />principles used after the 2D00 Census. The principles said that congressional districts shoufd be clrawn with <br />attention to county; city and township boundaries. <br />Howe�er, Ramsey County's boundary is more than a legal, geographic descripiion. The boundary surrounds <br />fhe strong networks of relationships that exist within our community. O�er the years, our jurisdictions have done <br />extensi�e work in developing cooperati�e relationships and consoiicfated ser�ices that bind us together. The <br />multitude of joint boards, mutual aid agreemenfs, shared services and other arrangements among cities, school <br />disfricts and the county ha�e wo�en us together in a well-defined community of interest. We each ha�e our awn <br />unique identity, but we work together to car�tinuous[y improve our comrr�unities. <br />Ha�ing the County within one congressional district provides a single point of contact for addressing issues and <br />programs that affect local jurisdictions and federal ager�cies. A more complex set of relationships would make <br />these communjcations more diffrcult. <br />in addition, as a couniy with one of the smallest land areas and highest population densiti�s in the cauntry, <br />Ramey County is clearly a corr�pact area that should continue to pro�id� the core of a well-defined <br />congressior�al district. <br />A copy of Ramsey County Reso[ution #21 QQ-100 is enclosed for your information. Please review it artd consider <br />expressing your support by passing a similar resolutEon. <br />Ef you ha�e any comments or questions, please contact (651) 266-8368. <br />cc: Rarrtsey County Board af Commissioners <br />Jufie Kleinschmidt <br />Atiachment <br />