Funny, I was talking to another local blogger on the phone yesterday when he made this interesting observation: Greensboro City Council member Zack Matheny is the point man on redistricting, yet fellow council member Mary Rakestraw is taking the lead with her controversial plan.
It’s an observation not lost on Greensboro residents who would be affected by Rakestraw’s plan:
“I am still looking for Councilman Matheny’s plan,” said Ralph Johnson, a resident who opposes redistricting. “I haven’t seen his plan. He was the one who was chosen by the council. But the plan I see right now is from Councilwoman Rakestraw. So, I guess he lied to us. He stood there in our face and said that he would be cognizant of our concerns.”
There’s also the question of who drew Rakestraw’s plan:
A number of residents called the plan transparently political, saying Rakestraw’s political adviser Bill Burckley had drawn the map.
“I have a friend who was having dinner out and heard Bill Burckley at the next table talking loud about it,” Councilman Robbie Perkins said. “Talking about how he was redrawing a map for Mary Rakestraw.”
Apparently Perkins is still upset over Matheny’s appointment as redistricting liaison. Perkins is running for mayor, but he’s not himself any favors by repeatedly showing his arse.