The Assembly plan released today by the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment (LATFOR) is the culmination of a months-long process to reshape New York's electoral map based on shifts in population that have occurred over the last decade. Our proposal is responsive to the many individuals across the state who offered oral or written testimony to the Task Force.

In particular, good government groups have asked that we make districts as nearly equal in population as practicable. Toward that end we have drawn districts that have less disparity than is required by law and closer to equality than the current lines. The proposed Assembly districts - with one exception, which was drawn to avoid crossing a county line - have a population deviation of less than four percent. This is a plan which moves us more toward a key reform.

As part of the process, we took into consideration and incorporated many elements of proposals submitted in map form by numerous voting rights and good government groups, private citizens and public officials. We are grateful to them all for helping us with this constitutionally mandated task and look forward to further interaction and suggestions as we make our way across the state a second time to receive more input.