Metro's latest redistricting proposal caught the eye of Portland's representatives to the Metro Policy Advisory Committee, who penned a letter this week weighing in on the leading redistricting proposal.
Meanwhile, some Washington County leaders are also apparently concerned about the plan.
Portland Mayor Sam Adams and Commissioner Amanda Fritz leaned on the theme of the day – equity – in their letter. The word, or some form of it, appears three times in the letter's first four sentences.
The two commended the proposal to draw the boundary between districts 1 and 6 at 122nd Avenue, a simpler boundary than its current stair-step from 112th Avenue in the south to 148th Avenue in the north. That boundary "provides more clarity for residents of these districts," the two wrote.
But they were critical of a proposal to put areas of Sellwood south of Tacoma Street into District 2, Carlotta Collette's central Clackamas County district.
"The effect of keeping the existing boundary in Option #3 is that it splits up the neighborhood," the mayor and commissioner wrote. "Using the county line as the boundary would bring both districts closer to the average population target."
In Option 3, District 2 would have 1,527 more residents than the so-called "optimal" number that represents an even split among districts. District 6 would be 2,435 residents short of optimal.
According to the Census Bureau, roughly 4,000 people live in Sellwood south of Tacoma Street.
Councilor Barbara Roberts, who lives in Sellwood and represents District 6, disagreed that a Tacoma Street boundary would be bad for voters.
"That line isn't going to impact that neighborhood in any negative way," she said at Tuesday's council worksession.
It could, in fact, be positive for the community, Collette said.
"I think Sellwood would probably agree that having two Metro councilors that respond to Sellwood's needs is better than one," she said.
Meanwhile, on the westside, Councilor Carl Hosticka shared concerns from the city he shares with Councilor Kathryn Harrington.
"The city of Beaverton has indicated they feel being split makes it so that they don't get the full attention of any councilor," Hosticka said.
But Council President Tom Hughes said there's only one way to get the full attention of a councilor is to be large enough to support a standalone council district.
"By that argument, Forest Grove doesn't get the full attention (of their councilor) because you have to share Forest Grove with a bunch of other cities," Hughes said. "It's both illogical and not something we can have much to do with."
"I think having multiple cities is great," said Harrington, who makes quarterly visits to the four city councils in her district.
The Metro Council has public hearings on redistricting scheduled for its May 12 and 19 meetings. A vote is expected May 19.