REDISTRICTING COMMISSION

A group of former public officials met Friday morning to propose forming an independent commission to redraw congressional and legislative district lines after the 2010 census. The Minnesota state demographer has said the state may lose one US Congressional seat and population shifts within the state mean some areas will lose legislative seats and others will gain. Minnesota Labor Secretary and former State Legislator Steve Sviggum said forming an independent commission is an attempt to take politics out of redistricting as much as possible. The proposal would be delivered to this year's state legislature and if passed, could be a constitutional amendment proposal on the ballot in November.