Common Cause Minnesota and community partners proposed a Redistricting map for Saint Paul that establishes a framework for shared and inclusive governance in Saint Paul.
The proposed map can be found at this link
The map currently proposed by the Saint Paul Charter Commission can be found at this link. This map weakens the economic base of neighborhoods especially Ward 1 and is a basically a status quo map because it does not address well the issues of inclusive and shared governance.
Below are excerpts of letter sent to the Saint Paul Charter Commission by Common Cause Minnesota.
Attached to our maps is also the map on neighborhood nodes as part of the vision of the Comprehensive Plan 2040 to make the cities physical infrastructure and economic development inclusive to all. Our proposed map integrates well into the City’s Comprehensive plan and empowers the community around these neighborhood nodes.
“Neighborhood Nodes are compact, mixed-use areas that provide shops, services, neighborhood-scale civic and institutional uses, recreational facilities and employment close to residences. They may be neighborhood centers, transit station areas or urban villages, and have often developed adjacent to major intersections or at former street car stops. Neighborhood Nodes serve a neighborhood’s daily needs, including access to food; reduce public infrastructure disparities; improve livability; and accommodate growth.” Comprehensive Plan 2040, City of Saint Paul.
This map is responsive to all noted redistricting principles moved by the City Charter in 2020 and adheres to all federal and state laws.
The attached plan meets both providing the compactness and contiguity redistricting principles for each Ward, yet integrate each ward with the issues and challenges the city faces as a community – inclusive development, vibrant entrepreneurship, diversity of businesses and business sectors, climate change, bikeability and walkability and a neighborhood based development that celebrates the unique characteristics of the city’s vibrant neighborhoods.
As you can see, our proposed maps best represent the collective interests of all St. Paul constituents while also preserving the collective power of BIPOC constituents by not unduly splitting them and diluting their power. Our proposed map also taps into the City’s proposed 2024 Neighborhood Node Development Node vision without concentrating political power in a few wards leaving BIPOC-centered communities isolated.
Our map better integrates the communities in Ward 2 by integrating the immigrant communities along the West 7th area and accommodating the potential streetcar route through these communities. Ward 1 is more compact, integrating community and economic assets and providing representation to the BIPOC communities in this historic area of Saint Paul. Our map keeps the Como Park and Como Zoo area together preserving a very important communityThe letter of Common Cause also expressed concern for the lack of opportunity for active participation and input from community groups.
The table below offers the population demographics for the Common Cause map which offers a higher representation for the ALANA communities than the Charter Commission map. Four wards have ALANA population greater than 50 percent of the population in the ward.
Common Cause Map Voting Age Totals
| Ward | Total Pop | Deviation | Total VAP | White | Minority | Hispanic | Black | Asian | Native | Pacific |
| 1 | 44659 | 0.4% | 33,075 | 42.4% | 57.6% | 7.1% | 31.6% | 17.3% | 2.7% | 0.2% |
| 2 | 44151 | -0.8% | 36,241 | 63.6% | 36.4% | 11.9% | 17.0% | 5.4% | 3.0% | 0.2% |
| 3 | 44452 | -0.1% | 36,424 | 83.5% | 16.5% | 4.0% | 5.0% | 5.3% | 1.5% | 0.2% |
| 4 | 44138 | -0.8% | 37,471 | 76.2% | 23.8% | 4.7% | 9.8% | 7.0% | 1.9% | 0.2% |
| 5 | 44273 | -0.5% | 31,084 | 40.4% | 59.6% | 9.3% | 18.9% | 29.7% | 2.9% | 0.2% |
| 6 | 44997 | 1.1% | 30,855 | 34.2% | 65.8% | 12.3% | 16.4% | 35.1% | 3.3% | 0.2% |
| 7 | 44857 | 0.8% | 32,093 | 41.3% | 58.7% | 11.4% | 18.5% | 27.0% | 3.0% | 0.3% |
| Summary | 44504 | 1.9% | 33,892 | 55.8% | 44.2% | 8.5% | 16.4% | 17.3% | 2.6% | 0.2% |
Dr. Schulz the foremost political expert in the city and the state has submitted a letter to this committee saying very strongly that in his professional expertise the Common Cause map is the best map to address the historic exclusion of the ALANA communities in the city and to preserve communities of interest. When you compare the populations totals by African Latino Asian and Native American communities you will find the Common Cause provides the highest representation among all maps proposed. The table below shows the greater level of inclusion achieved by the Common Cause Plan.
Common Cause Minnesota built upon its work on the historic legal intervention with the Minnesota Judicial Select Panel on Redistricting where statewide input by community partners framed the statewide map presented to the judicial panel. The Final Order of the Court acknowledged the role of the Corrie plaintiffs in bringing the voice of the ALANA (African Latino Asian and Native American) communities and integrated this voice into the current legislative districts.
Excerpts from testimony to the Charter Commission on the greater inclusion and shared governance reflected in the Common Cause Map
The sharpness between the two maps is visible when we look at Ward 1, 2 and 3. The Common Cause map brings greater representation to the ALANA communities and helps balance the economic power between wards.
In Ward 1, it creates a sports-based economy aligning Allianz Field with the Saints Stadium, it offers the vibrant cultural destinations of Frogtown, Little Mekong and Rondo and brings together more cohesively the communities within those destinations, and it integrates with the diverse economy of the Midway. It restores Ward 1 to its historical role in the City.
In Ward 2, it balances the power of the Downtown with the needs of the communities adjacent to the Downtown. It keeps the East African and other immigrant communities intact rather than diluting their voice by merging them with Ward 3. It provides leadership to champion not only the future streetcar route as well as how neighborhood nodes and economic development could work for the hard-working people in those areas. It is tough when you merge a strong organized economic partner in the Downtown, with communities with less power and access. Participants told us that they wanted to be separate from the Downtown and be connected with others in their community.
In Ward 5 we bring the ALANA communities into greater cohesiveness.
Map 6 is a status quo map. It preserves and perhaps strengthens existing political and economic power structures in the city.
Over the history of this city, we have always struggled like the person this city is named after, to be transformed from Pig’s Eye to Saint Paul. We are still very much Pig’s Eye. You have the opportunity as guardians of this city to help make this transformation complete – for our children especially – by setting up the contours of power that over the next decade will help emerge – Saint Paul – the City on a Hill. A place for shared prosperity and shared governance. History will remember your decision today. Please adopt the Common Cause Plan. Thanks for listening.
