I’D LIKE to take this opportunity to thank the California Citizens Redistricting Commission for taking Pleasant Hill out of the “RAMON” Senate district with Contra Costa County and placing us in the “WINE” Senate district with Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Yolo counties.
I am delighted that the commission saw fit to ignore its own standards and place us in a district that is not contiguous with our city and does not share common social and economic interests.
I am looking forward to getting to know towns in our new district that I’ve never heard of, such as Mercuryville, Daisie, Haystack and ever-popular Wilfred. Using the commission’s own guidelines, I should be able to take public transportation to get to these towns. Just one problem: Neither BART nor Contra Costa County Transit goes there.
Well, I guess I’ll just have to drive there. This means a trip over the Benicia Bridge. That’s right: Suisun Bay and the Carquinez Strait separate us from the rest of the “WINE” district. I guess one of the advantages of not being contiguous with the rest of our new district is the joy of paying a $5 toll to get there, not to mention the time involved.
The fact that it takes upward of three hours to drive to the end of our new Senate district will give me ample opportunity to enjoy what Pleasant Hill has in common with the rest of this district. Farms and vineyards? Hunting and fishing? Abundant open space?
I can hardly wait to discuss issues Pleasant Hill has in common with my newfound neighbors, such as traffic and redevelopment. By the way, I wonder how many of my newfound neighbors have ever heard of our fair city or know where it is.
Yes, I couldn’t be happier that we are now in a Senate district with which we have nothing in common. Now that I think about it, Pleasant Hill does have something in common with the “WINE” district. The “WINE” district produces wine. Pleasant Hill residents drink wine.
By this same logic, why weren’t we placed in the Senate district with San Joaquin County? After all, they grow fruits and vegetables and we eat fruits and vegetables.
If nothing else, next time I go to the Napa Valley, I may be able to write the trip off as a business expense.
Michael Harris is a member of the Pleasant Hill City Council.