Res 25-82 RESOLUTION NO. 25-82
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, EXPRESSING ITS STRONG OPPOSI-
TION TO THE PROPOSED BOUNDARIES OF THE STATE OF
FLORIDA, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT 86 AND
URGING THE LEGISLATURE TO REDRAW SUCH BOUNDARIES
PRIOR TO ADOPTIONS OF THE STATE'S REAPPORTIONMENT
PLAN; PROVIDING FOR FURNISHING COPIES OF THIS RESOLU-
TION.
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida is currently performing the mandate
required by Article III, Section 16, of the Constitution of the State of Florida to apportion the state
into the required number of senatorial and representative districts; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, is in receipt of
information showing the boundaries of the State House of Representatives District 86 under the
legislature's proposed redistricting plan; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed boundary line for this House District 86 is apparently
intentionally designed to contain a "dog-leg" west of Delray Beach running south along Highway Ct, l,
west of Boca Raton to the Hillsborough Canal; and,
WHEREAS, such a proposed configuration for the boundary line of House District 86
appears to be the result of impermissable gerrymandering by the legislature; and,
WHEREAS, these proposed boundaries for this House District 86, would not only contain
the City of Delray Beach, but also places into this District a substantial number of citizens who
identify with the City of Boca Raton, and who have no community of interest with the citizens and
residents of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, or the persons living directly west of the City of
Delray Beach, Florida; and,
WHEREAS, such boundaries would deprive the citizens of the City of Delray Beach and
those persons living directly west of Delray Beach of effective representation and operation of
government at the State level, as guaranteed by the Constitutions of the State of Florida and of the
United States of America, and as guaranteed by the statutes of the State of Florida, and would
irreversibly damage these citizens and residents; and,
WHEREAS, such a proposed boundary line would appear to violate the "one man, one
vote" rule and deprive the residents within the proposed House District 86 of equal protection of the
laws of the United States and the State of Florida; and,
WHEREAS, based upon these considerations, the City Council of the City of Delray
Beach, Florida, believes that a reapportionment plan by the legislature which contains boundary
lines such as that proposed for House District 86 would be unconstitutional and a violation of organic
law in its application; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Delray Beach, Florida wishes to place the
State of Florida, and specifically the state legislature, on notice of its claim and its belief of the
illegality and inequity in the proposed reapportionment plan; and to express its strong opposition to
the proposed boundary lines for House District 86.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, hereby expresses
its claim that the boundaries proposed for House District 86 do not comply with the requirements of
the State of Florida's statutes and the Constitution of the State of Florida and the United States of
America; and that the City Council strongly opposes such proposed boundaries.
Section 2. That the City Council of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, hereby urges and
requests that the legislature cure these violations of the laws of the State of Florida and of the
United States by redrawing the proposed boundary lines for House District 86 to meet all
requirements of the law and to thus provide the residents and citizens of the City of Delray Beach
and land lyin§ west of the City of Delray Beach with effective and meanin§ful representation, as is
their guaranteed ri§hr.
Section 3. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to immediately furnish
copies of this Resolution to the President of the Florida Senate, the Speaker of the Florida House of
Representatives, the individual legislators from the City's local legislative delegation, the Governor,
and the Attorney General; and to all other appropriate public officials and agencies.
PASSED AND ADOPTED in special session on this 18th day of March, 1982.
ATTEST:
Assistant City Clerk
2 RES. NO. 2~-82 '