A hired demographer’s insistence the city has no other choice but to create a council district where 53 percent of the population is Hispanic also means that district would not see any growth of consequence during the next 10 years.

The City Council tonight at 7 p.m. is conducting its final hearing on shaping a final proposed map before launching the final adoption process and accompanying ordinance with the first of two public hearings on Dec. 21.

If the council follows the demographer’s advice that he said is based on not running afoul with the intent of the California Voting Rights Act it would also create:

*The highest concentration of lower household incomes in the city.

*Encompass all three of the city’s trailer parks —  El Rancho, Almond Blossom Estates, and Shady Grove.

*Essentially encase all of incorporated Manteca that existed prior to 1965.

*A district with all of downtown.

Such a district identified as District 3 on proposed Map 203 would be bounded on the north by Louise Avenue, on the east by Highway 99, and on the south by the 120 Bypass.

The western boundary would start at the 120 Bypass and Union Road, jog to the east on Wawona Street and then swing north on El Portal for a block before shifting slightly to the northwest onto El Capitan. It would then head east on Nevada Street for a block and then head north on Walnut Avenue before turning east on Alameda and then heading north along the Tidewater to Louise Avenue.

As District 3 is proposed in Map 203, if it were formed it would come up as one of the first two seats to be decided on district only voting in the 2022 election.

It is where Councilman Dave Breitenbucher resides. His term expires in 2022 but he has indicated he intends to run for mayor.

The last time the area District 3 as drawn on Map 203 had someone before Breitenbucher’s election in 2018 sitting on the council was in 1998 when Bill Perry ended his term as mayor.

District 3 as a “super” Hispanic district is not a favorite of Manteca Mayor Ben Cantu who dismisses race is a culprit in people having their interests underserved on the City Council. Cantu believes the districting process should be driven by an effort to address community concerns that center primarily growth-related issued.

Councilman Jose Nuño, the other Hispanic on the council, doesn’t disagree with Cantu’s observation but noted Manteca leaders opted to go to districts to avoid being sued under the California Voting Rights Act. And for that reason he believes elected officials have little choice but to follow the demographer’s advice.

Overall 41 percent of Manteca’s population is Hispanic, 35 percent non-Hispanic white, 15 percent Asian-American and 5 percent Black.

Based on that the current council essentially reflects the ethnicity makeup with Cantu and Nuño being Hispanic accounting for 40 percent of the council composition and 41 percent of the population, Charlie Halford and Breitenbucher being white account for 40 percent of the council composition, and 35 percent of the population, and Gary Singh being Indian that is lumped with Asian American accounting for 20 percent of the council composition and 15 percent of the population.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com