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Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024
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Politics Asian group seeks to form new city district



Politics: Plan Would Unite Penasquitos, Mira Mesa As Redistricting Nears

Asian Pacific Americans want a stronger voice in San Diego politics.

That’s the message of a group calling itself Asian Pacific Americans for Fair Redistricting, which submitted a proposal to the city’s Redistricting Commission to create a council district of their own.

The proposed district would combine into one district Rancho Penasquitos, currently in the 1st District, and Mira Mesa, which is in the 5th District. Although other areas in the city have an Asian Pacific presence, Rancho Penasquitos and Mira Mesa have the highest concentration that can be easily combined, the group said.

“There is no district where Asian Pacific Americans are grouped together and have enough of a population to influence the vote,” said Andrew Shogren, government affairs chairman for the Asian Business Association of San Diego and member of the fair redistricting group. “This is an opportunity for Asian Pacific Americans to really influence who is elected and have a larger voice. We are somewhat limited.”

According to Shogren, Asian Pacific Americans make up 15 percent of the city’s total population.

Rancho Penasquitos is about 26 percent Asian and Pacific Islander, according to the latest census. Mira Mesa is about 40 percent.

Faith Bautista has lived and owned a business in Mira Mesa for more than 13 years and hesitates to say Asians have been left out of the political loop, but it would be beneficial to have an Asian Pacific-influenced district.

“I shop, work, live and eat in the Mira Mesa area, and it’s not just me,” Bautista said. “I feel like we will have our own choice of a council member and we can have a district of our own.

“This is just to look out for the best interest and what’s good for Asian businesses in this area.”

If the new district were formed, the group would make up 34 percent of the district.

“Asian Pacific Americans are the fastest-growing and most diverse ethnic group in San Diego,” the fair redistricting group said in a statement. “However, Asian Pacific Americans are the only ethnic minority group without representation on the City Council.”

A representative from Councilman Scott Peters’ office said the 1st District representative would not comment on the redistricting issue. He said Peters provided his overall thoughts at an earlier Redistricting Commission meeting May 7.

In the minutes of the meeting, Peters discussed the history of the district and commented on some of the infrastructure problems throughout, but he made no mention of the Asian Pacific redistricting plan at that time. The group presented their proposal at the May 4 meeting.

The commission is expected to adopt a final map by Aug. 12.

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