A wonky look at Savannah’s draft map of new aldermanic districts | savannahnow.com

If some of these downtown neighborhoods share so many of the same problems, in some cases chronic ones, what’s the best system of political representation?

Right now, our downtown box is carved up, with pieces of it in three different aldermanic districts.

For example, under the current map, residents on the north and east sides of Forsyth Park are in District 2, while many who live west and south of Forsyth are in District 1, which extends west as far as the county line.

And many of the residents who live between 34th Street and Victory Drive are in District 5, which extends all the way south to Savannah Mall.

So, here’s the question of the day. Are these older, inner-city neighborhoods better served by being in a single district so residents can share their concerns with one councilperson or by being carved up as they currently are?

Of course, the mayor and both aldermen-at-large are elected citywide, so residents routinely go to them with problems.

And all of our City Council members hope to serve the interests of residents throughout Savannah.

Still, isn’t there something to be said for adjacent neighborhoods with similar concerns having the same alderman?

What changes are in the draft map for new local voting districts?

via A wonky look at Savannah’s draft map of new aldermanic districts | savannahnow.com.