SANTA ANA : College Considering Redistricting Plan

Rancho Santiago Community College should redraw its district boundaries to equalize the number of residents that each trustee represents, according to a report to the board.

Under a redistricting plan outlined in the report--presented Monday by Terry McHenry, president of Sacramento-based Educational Research Consultants--each trustee would represent about 72,660 residents. The report shows that trustees now represent as many as 91,272 residents and as few as 50,894 residents, based on 1990 census figures.

By law, community college districts must redraw their boundaries after each census. The report noted that Rancho Santiago’s current boundaries are so disproportionate that they may violate the U.S. and California constitutions.

The new boundaries would not dilute minority voter strength, the report said. Under the new plan, the percentage of Latinos--the largest minority group in the district--would increase in each trustee area, making up 71.5% of the population of Area 1, 54.9% of Area 2 and 21.6% of Area 3.

The proposal suggests that Area 3 annex portions of the other two areas, and that Area 2 absorb a portion of Area 1. Also, the report recommended continuing at-large elections for all trustees, rather than permitting each area to elect its own trustee.

The board consists of seven voting members, three each from Areas 1 and 3, and one from Area 2.

The three areas cover Garden Grove and Orange, which also have Rancho Santiago campuses.

Art Montez, a representative of Orange County Hispanic Committee for Fair Education, said his organization objects to the plan because it would not allow the districts to elect their own representative. He said that the decision of whether trustees are elected at-large or by residents of their areas should be left to the voters.

The Board of Trustees will hear public comments on the proposal at a meeting Feb. 24 and then decide whether to adopt or revise the proposal, district spokesman Henry Kertman said.