Street Rep: Laraway Road a Dividing Line for New Elected Officials

When the 2012 election rolls around, New Lenox will likely see new faces to its politics. Almost a month ago, new state and congressional maps were passed that make some major changes to current district boundaries.

States are required to redraw district maps every 10 years to reflect population shifts based off the 2010 Census. Although the eleciton is a ways off, Mayor Tim Baldermann said Monday that he'd been contacted by state Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Crete), who represents the 80th House district in Illinois, which will include New Lenox residents south of Laraway Road come next year.

DeLuca would be the village's second state representative, with current Rep. Renee Kosel (R-New Lenox) continuing to take up the majority of the village.

"We had an opportunity to express our displeasure with what's going on in Springfield with the new state representative," Baldermann said of his meeting with DeLuca.

The village will also have two new state senators and a new U.S. congressman after next year's election. Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights) would represent New Lenox voters south of Larway Road as the village's second senator. Right now, New Lenox is included in Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno's 41st district. But her boundaries are shifting north, while current 19th district Sen. Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest) .

"In hearings across the state, community leaders asked for the map to be drawn not for partisan politics but for fair and accurate representation," Radogno spokeswoman Patty Schuh said in a previous article. "But there are numerous Republican legislators lumped in together."

Indeed, GOP members called the Democratic-lead remapping efforts gerrymandering and released a statement against the changes, which will also drive out newly elected Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Manteno) of the 11th congressional district. Instead, Democratic incumbent Bobby Rush, of Chicago, would represent a good portion of New Lenox Township.

“The proposed map carves up towns and communities with little regard to the values and beliefs of the people who live there,” the statement read. “This proposal appears to be little more than an attempt to undo the results of the elections held just six months ago, and we will take whatever steps necessary to achieve a map that more fairly represents the people of Illinois—they deserve nothing less.”

Last week, the Will County Board from nine to 13, but decreased the number of representatives each district gets from three to two. In New Lenox, both incumbents will have a chance to maintain their seats.

New Elected Officials*

• State House: Anthony DeLuca (D-Crete)
• State Senate: Sens. Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest) and Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights)
• U.S. Congress: Congressman Bobby Rush (D-Chicago)

*If re-elected in 2012.