Signing up to speak at hearing: Dozens of people signed up to speak at the public hearing on redistricting on Aug. 31 in Lehigh Acres. Photos by Mel Toadvine

When members of the legislature serving on a committee that will draw up new state-wide districts for Florida, were in Lehigh Acres on Wednesday night, Aug. 31, they left knowing that the people of Southwest Florida had some very definite opinions.

More than 150 people jammed the seats and bleachers at one end of the Lee County Recreation Center on Homestead Rd. facing two dozen legislators from as far away as Jacksonville and the Panhandle.

The message was clear: “We don’t want across the state districts. We want the job done quickly and we want districts made compact.”

Speaker after speaker walked to the microphone and after an hour after about 40 people had spoken, legislators ask them to confine their remarks to around two minutes, to give everyone in the gymnasium who want to speak a chance to let their thoughts be known. All comments were recorded and legislators will take the information back to Tallahassee and by mid- September start the work to redraw boundaries for state, house and congressional districts.

Those attending and those speaking came from all over Southwest Florida, from Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Charlotte County and other areas.

Addressing legislators at hearing is this gentleman who faced two dozen legislators in Lehigh who were there to gain information as how residents here want redistricting to be handled.

All agreed they didn’t want to be connected or as one person said, “hitched up” with people on the East Coast, such as Miami and West Palm Beach.

Some from Lehigh Acres even asked that the unincorporated community be given its own senator and its own state representative while the same be done for western Lee County. The speaker told legislators that the population of Lehigh was nearly 87,000 and they didn’t have the same issues that the people on the East Coast of Florida have and want to be removed from districts that go crosswise in the state.

Lehigh is part of two districts, one reaching from here to West Palm Beach and Lee County is part of several districts. Many told legislators they wanted Lee County to be a separate district, while others said beach areas like Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach were different from other areas of Lee County because of tourism.

Many wanted lawmakers to draw district lines quickly so candidates will know in which districts they can run in next year’s elections.

Dr. Curtis Hamilton of Cape Coral, who said he was an AARP volunteer and president of the Cape’s AARP chapter said transparency and timeliness are key elements of the redistricting process and must be followed.

Legislators at redistricting hearing in Lehigh listen to dozens of people speak before them concerning redistricting of the state. Some two dozen legislators were on hand. Another 150 residents from all over Southwest Florida attended the hearing, the next to the last public hearing held throughout the state.

“The voters of Florida have clearly spoken about redistricting by decisively passing Amendments 5 and 6, and I compliment you for the statewide hearings which have gone forward with full disclosure and public input.

“The public needs not only the opportunity to comment but to have those comments be meaningfully considered, not cast aside as part of a political game. We expect our legislature to act with integrity and honor for the citizens of Florida and not to end with a gerrymandered mess that is left to the courts to decide. The timeliness of the process is crucial, Hamilton said.

Kevin Shea of Lehigh told legislators that the people of the community do not need ethnic combat in our state districts, that the lines must be fair for all. Shea is a member of the Lehigh Acres Rescue and Fire District.

Edd Weiner, chairman of the Lehigh Chamber’s economic development board and chairman of the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Panel, said he had lived on the east coast and he agreed with others that the people of Lehigh and Southwest Florida do not want to linked to the east coast in districts.

Nate Stout, who is chairman of the East County Water Control District, said Lehigh residents want to be considered as a whole community and not split as it is now.

Citizens welcomed to redistricting hearing with this giant sign as they entered the Lehigh Acres Community Center at Veterans Park on Aug. 31.

Other samplings of comments included:

“Separation of east and west districts is needed, a person from Estero said at the beginning of the three-hour hearing. The audience gave a loud clapping applause.

And another: “Eliminate across state districts. The southeast coast has issues different than in the southwest coast. Each needs to have its own senator.”

“We do not want cross-state districts. That’s emphatic. If we see gerrymandering districts, will go after you. The proof is in the pudding as what you do.”

“Keep community with similar interest together.”

“Consider the great growth of Southwest Florida when you draw lines.”

“Be fair and don’t gerrymander our local areas. Respect the counties.”

“Be open and act fairly.

“Lehigh Acres needs to have its own senate district.”

Joan Patterson of Lehigh told legislators that Lehigh “has been sliced and diced and split down the middle. So my plea is don’t stick us across the state with a district.” Other comments included:

“We’re tired of the gerrymandering that we saw in 2010 and Amendments 5 and 6 which were overwhelmingly passed by the people call for fairly drawn maps in a timely fashion. In 2010 we want it to be fair, one person one vote.”

Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, said that the message about the timeline came through loud and clear and Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who is the Senate’s chairman of the redistrict committee, said the legislature has gotten the message to move the redistricting process on quickly.

Redistricting committees will convene in Tallahassee on Sept. 19 and start working on maps and have them ready by January 10 when the legislature meets. Gaetz said later that the public hearings in Lehigh and Naples were the most valuable one the committee has held.

One more meeting was planned in Clewiston and committee lawmakers will head back to Tallahassee and start to work in about two weeks.

The public was encouraged to examine online the many maps that have been suggested and to make themselves aware of what redistricting encompasses.

You can on online and visit www.floridaredistricting.org and www.flsenate.gov/Redistricting to learn more about creating and submitting your own house, senate and congressional maps.

Redistricting takes place after each U.S. Census. Figures in Florida were released early since the state is one of the largest in the country.

You can view a video online of the Lehigh Acres hearing and others throughout the state. Go to: www.floridaredistricting.org/media.aspx.

The number of congressional districts in Florida will increase from 25 to 27. The number of Florida House seats must be between 80 and 120 while the number of Florida Senate seats must be between 30 and 40.

According to a flyer passed out at the hearing, the Florida House and Senate contain 120 members and 40 members, respectively. The average population of a House district will be 156,678 and the average population of a Senate district will be 470,033 and each new congressional district must contain around 696,345 people.