Gerrymandering continues to ruin our democracy

It’s heartening to see some focus lately on the scourge that first started to ruin our democracy, gerrymandering: “In Illinois politics, remaps keep the powerful in power,” Feb. 2.

The author highlighted gerrymandering’s effect on congressional representation, but our state representative and senate districts also were drawn to advantage the party in power and its incumbents, in this case, the Democrats. After the 1990 census, it was Republicans who won remap power and did the gerrymandering, just as the GOP did recently in many states.

What also doesn’t get nearly enough attention and examination in explorations of gerrymandering is its effect on people.

Gerrymandering frequently is framed as a power struggle between Republicans and Democrats, but it’s the people and accountable government that is flushed away by the gerrymanders.

The fact is, it’s extraordinarily challenging for Altgeld Gardens residents and Englewood residents, many of whom have spoken loudly and often about how they wanted and needed fewer City Council members cutting up their communities, to get city help. How can people in Englewood get help if they have to reach five separate ward offices?

A resident-led commission held more than 40 public hearings that centered what kind of community representation people in neighborhoods of the city wanted. That commission modeled a people-centered way to draw districts, but the powerful kept their power by drawing the lines and prioritizing themselves over residents.

Why should you care? When you have few or no choices on your ballot in a few weeks, blame gerrymandering. When the violence in our cities escalates and the response remains utterly inadequate, blame gerrymandering. When stores move away or restaurants shutter, part of the blame lies with gerrymandering.

When elected officials gerrymander local, state and congressional districts and pick their voters, they preserve a corrupt system and make it a slam dunk they don’t have to listen to you.

They’ve made it incredibly challenging to stop this skewing. Yet, if we want responsive, accountable government, we all have to keep demanding an end to the district rigging that destroys our democratic foundations.

Madeleine Doubek, strategic adviser, CHANGE Illinois & CHANGE Illinois Action Fund

Red Line extension will boost Far South Side

I applaud two stories published in recent days in the Sun-Times: “South Side middle-schoolers’ CTA Red Line extension dreams: public art, a park, grocery, tech store, chance to ‘bring families together’ “ and ”Black Chicago is still waiting for investment: ‘There’s so much potential.’ ”

They underline the importance of investing in historically marginalized neighborhoods.

Mass transit investments in our region, such as those to improve speed and reliability on the Blue Line, and years-long efforts to extend the Red Line in Chicago, will be transformative for our economy and will increase access to opportunity for millions.

Chicagoland’s public transit system contributes to our region’s economic, environmental and social health in ways and at a scale nothing else can. Transit is our region’s strongest tool for combating climate change, enabling seamless connectivity for a new era of work and recreation, and linking disenfranchised and underserved neighborhoods to jobs, education and prosperity.

We know that Black and Brown residents experience the longest commute times in our region, but the Red Line Extension will improve that for many riders in predominantly minority neighborhoods, including up to a 30-minute time savings for riders traveling from the future 130th Street station to the Loop. Construction itself will generate approximately 25,000 jobs in the coming years, and the project will be one of the single biggest investments in the Far South Side in history.

According to the City of Chicago’s Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Policy Plan, projects approved between 2016 and 2019 are expected to create more than 75,000 new jobs and produce over 3,000 new affordable housing units through the City’s Affordable Requirements ordinance.

Between 2005 and 2015, 50% of new Chicagoland jobs were located within a half-mile of a CTA or Metra station. During that period, the region added 334,000 new jobs, a growth rate of almost 9%. Areas close to stations more than doubled the regional average, growing jobs by 19%. In 2017, 85% of all commercial construction in the seven-county region occurred within a half-mile or less of a CTA or Metra stop.

The Regional Transportation Authority carefully evaluates each capital investment against 15 performance measures including equity, accessibility and climate impact to ensure our dollars help reach regional goals. Where mass transit goes, the economy and communities grow, and we at RTA, CTA, Metra, and Pace are committed to prioritizing investments that lead to more equitable outcomes.

Kirk Dillard, chairman, Regional Transit Authority

Why isn’t this man in jail?

I just finished reading the article that details at least some of the crimes that Jonathan Minter allegedly has been involved with, including 12 times when he hasn’t been present in court, even though he was required to be there (“Uptown man charged with burglary, identity theft after allegedly stealing mail”).

What would make anyone think he’ll show up next time? Now he’s been arrested for the same type of criminal activity, yet he is out on electronic monitoring. Is the 13th time the charm? This guy is the poster child for people who should be in prison. So why is he enjoying his freedom, no doubt planning his next caper?

Ken Weiss, Palatine