The Wisconsin state Assembly debated a bill Thursday to approve the new congressional district borders that would take effect in the November 2002 elections.
Census data from 2000 revealed that the state population had not grown as rapidly as those of other states, resulting in Wisconsin losing one seat in the US House of Representatives, and forcing the state to redraw its lines to form only eight districts.
Under the new boundaries, the city of Milwaukee would be represented under one congressman rather than two. Currently Rep. Tom Barrett, D-Milwaukee, and Rep. Gerald Kleczka, D-Milwaukee, represent the city.
Barrett is running for governor so the redistricting would not affect him, and the remaining eight representatives support the move.
\I'd like Milwaukee to have 14 representatives,"" Barrett said. ""But the reality is that population as a city is for the first time in 100 years smaller than one congressional district.""
He also said that although he recognizes that some Milwaukee residents may be concerned that they are losing a representative, it is the next logical step.
""I'm certainly unhappy with the fact that our population didn't grow,"" he said. ""But my wife and I had four kids during the decade, that's all we could do.""
State Rep. Scott Walker, R-Wauwatosa, who is on the Assembly's Census Redistricting Committee, said although the bill will probably pass next week, it is being delayed by members who are dissenting at every step, most likely for political reasons.
""Some of the members of the black caucus would like to run for congress and they think their chances are better if there's two Congressional districts,"" Walker said.
Like Barrett, Walker said it makes sense to only have one representative for the city because of Milwaukee's ""community of interest.""
""People who live in the city of Milwaukee, even though they may live on different sides of town, have more in common than people who live on the north side of Milwaukee have in common with people in Ozaukee and Washington and Waukesha counties,"" he said.
Under the new plans US Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, would also pick up Beloit in the next election.
""She'll welcome the opportunity to introduce herself to all the constituents in the newly revised district,"" said Baldwin spokesperson Jerilyn Goodman.
In other news in the legislature, the Assembly unanimously passed a bill to prohibit giving or receiving ""something of value"" that would influence political decision-making.
The bill's author, state Rep. Mark Gundrum, R-New Berlin, said over the last few months there have been allegations of ethical violations.
""I think it's helpful to restore the public's confidence in clean government in Wisconsin,"" he said.
The Assembly also voted unanimously for AB 726 to eliminate the special treatment that legislative campaign committees receive when raising campaign funds for legislative candidates. Currently they only have limits based on their overall contribution to candidates by entities which are not individuals, such as lobby organizations. But under the bill, they would have the same limitations as other special interest committees.
Steve Baas, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, R-Waukesha, said that the bill insulates the policy-making responsibilities of lawmakers from the fundraising responsibilities of candidates.
""What we wanted to do here is create a clear distinction between policy making and fundraising,"" he said.
Baas also said that this type of reform has been introduced in the state Legislature before.
""It's not a peculiarly novel idea,"" he said. ""But it's an idea we're hoping that, with the momentum the reform seems to have around here this year, it will finally get through both houses and passed into law.""
Both bills will be sent to the Senate for review.
