The State House released their redistricting plan this week and many people are unhappy with the picture.

The Legislature this Session is an already strained environment with extreme budget cuts proposed and tensions boiling over at every point.

Toss in the drama of Redistricting and you have a recipe for complete collapse.

The fact is that many people are still very bruised from the last mid-decade redistricting process led by former Congressman Tom Delay. We had walkouts and lawsuits and an overthrow of many incumbents.

Those that survived have long memories that have been simmering since that time.

The loudest initial opposition to this redistricting plan is coming from the Latino community. The plan provides little increase in potential Hispanic districts while 62% of the population growth in Texas was Latino. Simple math indicates that you will need to add Latino representation to reflect that population increase.

Some say it can’t be done due to the “dispersal” of Hispanics across Texas. This same message is being used in Houston redistricting. It may even be true but there are many communities and counties in Texas that are Latino-dominant populations. There are multiple ways to increase their representation in Austin. The heated discussions commence.

Do not expect much else to happen in the Session now that the maps have been released. The already emotionally-charged environment will increase significantly as Members begin to look to survival for themselves and for their constituents.

From my point of view, there is a definite attitude coming out of Austin this Session towards Latinos. It permeates the public education discussion, the higher ed debate and redistricting. It is the “Let them eat pan dulce” attitude toward Latinos.

If it doesn’t happen this year, it will ultimately catch up with those in charge as this ever-growing population gains political power.