LITTLE VALLEY - The residents of Cattaraugus County have voted to downsize the legislature from 21 legislators to 17. The proposition passed with 65 percent of the vote.
The measure will also reduce the number of legislature districts from 10 down to eight. The plan was voted on during a June meeting of the county legislature and approved. The proposition was listed on all county ballots as Proposition 1. Based on the 2010 census data, population within the county has decreased.
"Every time there is a census and census data is released, you need to re-look at your legislative districts to make sure they are adequately aligned to have equal voting clauses," Legislature Clerk John Searles said.
A committee was formed to present proposals to the legislature which in turn would vote on the measure. Five proposals were on the table at one time, according to Searles, before the legislature approved what is listed as Proposition 1.
"It would not only re-draw the districts, where (the legislators) are going to be running, but what it would also do is decrease the size of the legislature from its current 21 members down to 17 members," Searles said.
Under the new redistricting plan, the county will be split into eight districts. They are as follows: District 1 will include Perrysburg, Dayton, Persia, Otto and New Albion; District 2 will include East Otto, Ashford, Yorkshire and Freedom; District 3 will include Mansfield, Ellicottville, Franklinville, Lyndon, Machias and Farmersville; District 4 will include Leon, Conewango, Napoli, Little Valley, Randolph and South Valley; District 5 will include the city and town of Salamanca, Coldspring, Red House and Great Valley; District 6 will include Carrollton and Allegany; District 7 will include the town of Olean, Portville, Hinsdale, Ischua and Humphrey; and District 8 will include the city of Olean.
Each district will have two legislators while District 8, the city of Olean, will have three. Under legislative law, the redistricting plan will not take effect until 2016, the next year the legislature holds elections.
Winning in the Cattaraugus County Legislature Elections were: District 1, Paula J. Stockman; District 2, Patrick J. Murphy and Richard L. Klancer; District 3, Norman L. Marsh and Howard V. VanRensselaer; District 4, William E. Sprague; District 5, Donna M. Vickman, Gary M. Felton and William H. Weller, Sr.; District 6, James Joseph Snyder, Jr. and Danny M. Hale; District 7, James L. Boser and Richard J. Lamberson; District 8, Carl W. Edwards; District 9, Susan Labuhn and David M. Koch; and District 10, John J. Padlo, James J. Snyder, Steven H. Teachman, William J. Aiello and Linda M. Edstrom.
To see the new district map and the resolution, visit www.co.cattaraugus.ny.us/files/meetings/minutes/leg-minutes-20110622.pdf.
