Letter: Port of Pasco seeks balance
In Del Lathim’s letter on Aug. 16, he states that the Port of Pasco’s three voting districts are not balanced, with dramatic population figures to back up his claim.
While I appreciate his sense of civic responsibility, it is unfortunate that his numbers are grossly inaccurate. He asserts that District 1 has 100 inhabitants (including jackrabbits), District 2 has 75,000, and District 3 has 15,000. In fact, District 1, which represents East Pasco, has 25,048; District 2 covering west Pasco has 29,129; and District 3, which spans from Connell to North Pasco, has 33,997.
I suspect that Mr. Lathim was somehow confusing districts in the Port of Pasco with the little-known Port of Kahlotus, the other Port in Franklin County.
The port commission and staff take our responsibility to provide balanced voting districts very seriously. Boundaries are updated roughly every six years to form districts of similar population. Those interested in redistricting are encouraged to attend public hearings and provide input on the process. To learn more about current district boundaries and populations, I invite you to visit www.portofpasco.org or contact the Franklin County Auditor, who can provide you with the most up-to-date figures.
Randy Hayden, Executive Director Port of Pasco, Pasco
This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 1:06 PM with the headline "Letter: Port of Pasco seeks balance."