BUFFALO, N.Y. — After weeks of controversy, the Buffalo Common Council has approved a council district reapportionment map. Opponents of the map say it was gerrymandered and benefits the people currently in office and not the people living in each district.
We have heard those elements of criticism and controversy over this latest round of this every ten-year process as Channel 2's Nate Benson reported for us recently.
That disharmony permeated the normally quiet decorum of the City Council chambers at City Hall around noon Tuesday as the council was just starting to take its vote.
Chanting "No" people observing the meeting and probably members of the coalition called Our City Action Buffalo, which heavily criticized the plan, let the nine members of the council know they don't like it.
Former Buffalo Mayoral Candidate India Walton was leading some of the chanting there with a brief message of her own slamming the process and questioning the access of the public.
Council then adjourned briefly so security could help clear the chamber and then they returned to vote in favor.
Council President Darius Pridgen later told reporters that they had to follow the rules of state law and the city charter and go with the map provided by the Citizens Advisory Commission which had held a previous hearing to gather input.
Pridgen said, "We actually paused the process for weeks and went and looked at the map to see if we could even consider that map. And unfortunately, the first map that was sent to us created new districts which you cannot do by law. To create new districts you must have a referendum. The people as a whole have to vote on that."
Pridgen added, "It wasn't done to take anything away from anybody. And it was a very, very difficult process. So one thing I'm not gonna do is to go into a back and forth with people and their opinions and what they feel. At the end of the day, there was a public hearing with the commission - one or two people showed up. That's what the Charter required."
So now Mayor Brown can approve or disapprove this plan which may draw legal challenges as well. A spokesman says the Mayor's Office must hold a public hearing as well for him to take any action but no date has been set so far.
One last note. Sources tell us that India Walton who ran against Brown as the Democratic nominee and who is currently a staffer for the Working Families Party may run against a sitting council member in the future.
Walton did not want to comment or make a formal announcement on that today.