"As a resident of South Hills, I am more than happy for somebody from East Bank or Montgomery to have a delegate back," he said, referring to the Charleston residences of many members of the 30th Delegate District.
Former South Charleston Mayor Richie Robb said single-member districts promote accountability, and suggested the issue should be put on the Oct. 4 special election ballot.
"Let us vote on whether we want single-member districts or multiple districts," he said.
Unger has scheduled 12 public hearings around the state, with the meeting in Charleston Wednesday being the third stop on the tour.
As a freshman senator in 2001, Unger was so unhappy with what he considered backroom deals designed to protect incumbents from southern counties that he filed suit in federal court to have that redistricting plan declared unconstitutional. A three-judge panel ultimately dismissed the case.
After being named chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting in April, Unger vowed that the 2011 redistricting process would be much more open, with more input from the public.
"Our first act wasn't for us to sit down and ask, what do we want?" Unger said Wednesday. "Our first act as a task force is to go out to these meetings, and ask what the people want."
He said of the town hall meetings, "It's an ongoing, constant process of talking, thinking, discussing, so that it's all transparent, unlike in the past. I'm trying to minimize the incumbency protection idea."
Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Although Wednesday evening's public hearing was hosted by the state Senate, most speakers at the Kanawha County Courthouse wanted to discuss House redistricting -- and to demand single-member delegate districts.
As Delegate Rick Snuffer, R-Raleigh, put it, "It seems like across the state, the Senate is holding House redistricting hearings."
Wednesday's hearing, drawing 16 speakers and a crowd of about 80, was the third hosted by the Senate Select Committee on redistricting.
At the onset of the 90-minute hearing, Senate Committee Chairman John Unger, D-Berkeley, suggested the focus should be on state Senate and U.S. Congressional districts, since the Senate traditionally accepts whatever delegate redistricting plan the House approves.
However, Tommy Crouser of Mink Shoals urged the 15 senators at the hearing to reject any House plan that does not provide 100 single-member districts.
"You need to say, "We don't do dumb stuff," and send it back," he said, drawing applause from the crowd.
Putnam County's Jim Caruthers was even more adamant.
"We need single-member districts about as bad as anything in this state," he said, noting that Putnam County is split among three House districts, with representation coming from as far away as Logan County.
"Mr. Joe C. Ferrell was our delegate for one term, and he didn't even show up at the statehouse," Caruthers recalled.
Charleston lawyer George Carenbauer pointed out that 40 states currently mandate single-member districts, and that West Virginia is one of only three states that permit delegate districts with three or more members.
"As a resident of South Hills, I am more than happy for somebody from East Bank or Montgomery to have a delegate back," he said, referring to the Charleston residences of many members of the 30th Delegate District.
Former South Charleston Mayor Richie Robb said single-member districts promote accountability, and suggested the issue should be put on the Oct. 4 special election ballot.
"Let us vote on whether we want single-member districts or multiple districts," he said.
Unger has scheduled 12 public hearings around the state, with the meeting in Charleston Wednesday being the third stop on the tour.
As a freshman senator in 2001, Unger was so unhappy with what he considered backroom deals designed to protect incumbents from southern counties that he filed suit in federal court to have that redistricting plan declared unconstitutional. A three-judge panel ultimately dismissed the case.
After being named chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting in April, Unger vowed that the 2011 redistricting process would be much more open, with more input from the public.
"Our first act wasn't for us to sit down and ask, what do we want?" Unger said Wednesday. "Our first act as a task force is to go out to these meetings, and ask what the people want."
He said of the town hall meetings, "It's an ongoing, constant process of talking, thinking, discussing, so that it's all transparent, unlike in the past. I'm trying to minimize the incumbency protection idea."
Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.
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