City asks legislators to preserve urban core-centric House District,

 back away from plan that could eliminate representation

COVINGTON, Ky. – Saying an urban area of its size, diversity, and economic energy needs a strong voice in Frankfort, the City of Covington is asking leaders of the state General Assembly to back away from plans that dilute – and could eventually eliminate – Covington’s representation in the state legislature.

A resolution approved unanimously by the Covington Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night objects to proposed new boundaries for Kentucky’s House districts that split the existing 65th House District into pieces and instead creates districts dominated by surrounding suburban and rural areas.

“The principle of ‘representation’ is the foundation of American government at all levels, and that principle is best put into practice when a community of citizens is represented by someone who lives in that community and is aware of and responsive to its concerns,” the resolution reads.

“But a logical consequence of these new boundaries could be a state government in which the Commonwealth’s fifth-largest city and its residents have no seat at the table when important decisions are made.”

The legislative districts are required to be redrawn every 10 years to reflect changes in population distribution revealed by the federal Census, but political leaders have a lot of leeway in where to draw those new boundaries.

A proposed map laying out new state House districts was released just before the New Year’s holiday late last week and is scheduled to be voted into law this week.

The new boundaries:

• Move residents of Covington’s northwest corner into a district that includes Villa Hills, the airport, and the Oakbrook and Limaburg areas of Boone County.
• Move residents of some eastern neighborhoods in Covington into a district that includes South Covington but is dominated by Independence and Taylor Mill.
• Adds the suburban cities of Edgewood, part of Crestview Hills, Fort Wright, and another portion of Park Hills to Covington’s diluted 65th District.

Keeping at least one Covington-centric district is critical given the differences in demographics, issues, and needs between the urban core and Covington’s neighbors to the south, the City’s resolution pointed out. It also linked having a seat at the proverbial table to the success of efforts to continue the city’s considerable economic momentum.

Covington’s population is the highest among cities in Northern Kentucky.

Given its size, the age of its buildings, its diversity, the scope of services provided by its local government, and the values City leaders have reinforced, Mayor Joe Meyer recited a litany of issues that distinguish Covington from other cities in Northern Kentucky, including economic development, affordable housing, poverty, social services, code enforcement, commercial rehab and building codes, race, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

“Covington’s perspective on so many issues is different from that of the rest of Northern Kentucky,” Meyer said. “This isn’t a theoretical discussion, it’s a real practical discussion. To cut our community out of the forum where we can advance our ideas and values is a disservice to all of us.”

He talked in detail about how the ban on tolls on the Brent Spence Bridge would not have happened without the leadership and commitment of retired Rep. Arnold Simpson of Covington. Those efforts will likely save Northern Kentucky hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming years if plans to use federal money to rebuild the bridge and build a new bridge next to it come to fruition.

Covington City Commissioner Michelle Williams also spoke out against the new boundaries, saying they needed to be “based on the criteria of equal population, partisan fairness, and racial fairness.” She said she hoped legislative leaders would reconsider the current plan “and allow Covington to be one.”

Meanwhile, the proposed new boundaries for the state Senate districts was unveiled just Wednesday, and those too raised concerns in Covington. That’s because part of northern Covington -- three voting precincts – have been moved to a Campbell County district. That area includes the 23-acre IRS development site that represents a critical part of Covington’s economic strategy and future development.

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The Board of Commissioners’ resolution can be seen HERE.

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