Howard County Executive Ulman's redistricting maneuver upsets voters

Howard County residents are upset with County Executive Ken Ulman for ignoring their wishes regarding the County Council's redistricting plan ("Ulman rejects council's redistricting plan,' March 16). Instead he endorsed the plan of an appointed, bipartisan but Democratically controlled redistricting commission that held public hearings, then ignored the requests made by citizens who attended.

They presented a plan that moved 25,000 voters around when there were alternate proposals from commission members that moved fewer than 10,000 people. After a public hearing by the County Council, four of the five council members submitted alternate plans; one was approved, but the county executive then refused to sign it.

It was obvious from the beginning that this was a political battle and not one about community boundaries. The only people who testified for the commission's plan at the council's public hearing were special interests such as Democratic Party central committee members or political groups.

A majority of residents did not support any of the commission's proposals. Mr. Ulman's failure to address a large number of his constituents will no doubt result in him losing support in his effort to become Maryland's next governor.

Robert Callahan, Ellicott City