Quinn Calls City Redistricting Plan “Pretty Independent”

Council Speaker Christine Quinn commended the Districting Commission for reshaping the council map fairly despite protests from several Council members and good government groups and gave no indication she would reject the committee’s redistricting map despite rumors she was working behind the scenes to alter it.

“Is this a perfect process? I can’t imagine it is,” she said, at a press conference in City Hall on Tuesday. “As redistricting processes go, this is a pretty independent one.”

Quinn deflected several questions from reporters about specific districts, including Councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito’s district, which now contains large tracts of the Bronx and Councilwoman Diana Reyna’s district, which now includes Assemblyman Vito Lopez’s apartment, thanks to a request from Councilman Erik Dilan. Quinn said she “did not deliberately give input” to the commission but defended council members who did.

“I don’t think it has been a very big secret that council members and people who want to be elected members give input,” she said. “It would be absurd if they didn’t.”

The City Council has until Dec. 10 to vote on the new maps though it can take no action, which would be a tacit approval of the commission’s decennial recommendations.