MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
TELL BEACON HILL TO EMPOWER THE SOUTH COAST BY UNITING NEW BEDFORD & FALL RIVER
WHAT:
Joint Committee on Redistricting Hearing on Congressional Maps
WHEN:
Tuesday, November 9th at 11am
HOW:
Sign up to testify via Zoom by clicking here.
Submit Written Testimony before Tuesday by clicking here.
Submit Written Testimony before Tuesday by clicking here.
Watch the Hearing on Tuesday by clicking here.
Did you know….
- That the current 9th Congressional District has the largest concentration of Portuguese-Americans in the country, and that removing Fall River from the district would divide the two largest Portuguese-American population centers in the Commonwealth?
- That Fall River and New Bedford share a unified chamber of Commerce committed to moving the similar economies of both cities forward?
- That New Bedford and Fall RIver, at 20% and 10% of their populations respectively, represent the largest Latinx communities in Southeastern Massachusetts?
- That while Fall River would be the largest community in the proposed Fourth District by population, the second largest community, Newton, outvotes Fall River by 50-100%, while Fall River and New Bedford share similar voter turnout and would not be competing for influence with any other cities in the ninth district?
- That dozens of business leaders, community leaders, and elected officials have spoken out in support of a united South Coast, including current and former members of Congress representing both cities?
What are local leaders saying about uniting Fall River and New Bedford into one Congressional District?
Rep. Bill Keating
U.S. Rep for Fall River (MA09) & New Bedford 2013-Present
“There is no good reason for the South Coast to be divided between its two Gateway City anchors. This fundamental shift, a ten-year plan, is more significant than any particular congressmember – the new district should represent the strongest, most substantial community of interest for the people of the South Coast.
The clear and unambiguous approach has been to consolidate the South Coast region as it has moved swiftly to accelerate beyond incremental progress. Whether through the creation of the One Southcoast Chamber of Commerce to focus on opportunities for continued growth, the long-awaited construction of the South Coast Rail commuter project to connect these communities to Boston, and expansion of the agreement among the South Coast’s higher education institutions, there is no rational argument that a division would be beneficial.
The proposed decoupling of Fall River and New Bedford would disenfranchise those who have worked for years to create the unity that is now coalescing throughout the region. And though these two cities, and the immigrants that have labored for generations to build and sustain them, do not seek anything that hasn’t been earned, it is another thing entirely to deny them the progress that has finally arrived.”
Mayor Jon Mitchell
Mayor of New Bedford
“If folks were looking for an example of gerrymandering in 2021, this is it,”
“It’s an act of raw political power by folks in Boston who really don’t have any vested interest here.”
“Severing Fall River entirely from New Bedford’s district is an act of raw political power that will tend to undermine our federal interests for years to come.”
Dax Crocker
Coalition for Social Justice
“While we’re glad that the Redistricting Committee’s proposed map makes Fall River whole, it also misses a critical opportunity to better ensure that the immigrant, working-class communities of Fall River and New Bedford are united and empowered politically to elect candidates of their choice. We are incredibly disappointed that the Legislature did not listen to the voices of the people of Fall River and New Bedford, and we urge them to reconsider.”
Senator Michael Rodrigues
Fall River State Senator 2011-Present; Fall River State Representative 1996-2011
“The proposal released this afternoon continues an unjust and inequitable division that dilutes our region’s collective voice.”
“New Bedford and Fall River are post-industrial working-class cities with vibrant growing minority populations. We share many common economic interests such as offshore wind, commuter rail, and advanced manufacturing. Simply put, our interests do not align with affluent Boston-area suburbs or the South Shore.
Dividing our cities into separate congressional districts dilutes our collective voice and must not be allowed to continue. I will work aggressively in the Senate to unite New Bedford under one congressional district for the Southcoast region.”
Senator Mark Montigny
New Bedford State Senator 1993-Present
“While we’re glad that the Redistricting Committee’s proposed map makes Fall River whole, it also misses a critical opportunity to better ensure that the immigrant, working-class communities of Fall River and New Bedford are united and empowered politically to elect candidates of their choice. We are incredibly disappointed that the Legislature did not listen to the voices of the people of Fall River and New Bedford, and we urge them to reconsider.”
22 Business Leaders from Fall River & New Bedford
Lead by Anthony Sapienza, former CEO of Joseph Abboud
“Splitting up the minority populations into two districts raises serious questions about racial equity. Those minority populations have been historically under-represented politically and have suffered disproportionately from lower income levels, health problems, crime and lower educational attainment than the affluent and powerful communities that dominate the Fourth and Ninth Congressional districts. It is fair to say that is directly the result of Fall River’s and New Bedford’s
inability to force those issues to the top of the two districts’ legislative agendas.
Fall River and New Bedford would be best served by their inclusion in a single congressional district that would allow them to speak with a single voice on behalf of their common interests: raising educational performance to generate economic growth, addressing environmental concerns that disproportionately affect minority populations, and maximizing the use of their seaports and manufacturing sectors.”
Rep. Joe Kennedy
U.S. Representative for Fall River, 2013-21
“Put Fall River and New Bedford together. Period. Redistricting gives Massachusetts a once-in-a-decade chance to address the profound disparities in political representation and power that mark our state.
As someone who had the honor of representing Fall River for eight years in Congress, I saw firsthand how often the South Coast has to fight twice as hard for half as much. And I know that is an injustice echoed in Gateway Cities all across our ‘progressive’ state.
Unifying New Bedford and Fall River into one Congressional district will create an essential power center for all of the South Coast’s families, particularly the working-class and immigrant communities that anchor the region. And we will all be better served by a political map that brings more diversity and more lived experience to our highest halls of power — not less.” – “Put Fall River and New Bedford together. Period. Redistricting gives Massachusetts a once-in-a-decade chance to address the profound disparities in political representation and power that mark our state.
As someone who had the honor of representing Fall River for eight years in Congress, I saw firsthand how often the South Coast has to fight twice as hard for half as much. And I know that is an injustice echoed in Gateway Cities all across our ‘progressive’ state.
Unifying New Bedford and Fall River into one Congressional district will create an essential power center for all of the South Coast’s families, particularly the working-class and immigrant communities that anchor the region. And we will all be better served by a political map that brings more diversity and more lived experience to our highest halls of power — not less.”
Senator Julian Cyr
State Senator for the Cape & Islands; Member of the Redistricting Committee
“We’ve got a lot of the same challenges and problems and issues and opportunities on Cape Cod and the islands as we do on the SouthCoast and the South Shore,” Cyr said, citing offshore wind development and coastal impacts from climate change as examples. “Particularly on the SouthCoast but also on Cape Cod, we’re talking about the largest diaspora of Cape Verdeans from Cabo Verde, one of the largest in the country.”
“I worry that with the current map as it’s constructed, you basically have two of the neediest communities in the commonwealth in Fall River and New Bedford, as currently proposed, at the tail end of two districts,”
Paid for by the Bill Keating Committee