Queens has emerged as a key locale in the redistricting war between

Queens has emerged as a key locale in the redistricting war between Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature.

Under the proposed lines released last week, four Queens lawmakers would be merged into two districts and a powerful Democrat would be gerrymandered out of his district.

Another Democrat saw his district oddly reconfigured to include more Republican-leaning neighborhoods.

“It’s clear that Senate Republicans are targeting Queens because it’s a Democratic county,” said state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria). “This is the result of a process we have been criticizing for a year.”

A hearing on the proposed lines will take place next Tuesday at Queens Borough Hall. The legislature and Gov. Cuomo must then approve the changes.

Republicans, who hold the majority in the state Senate, have said the proposed lines are the best way to address population shifts recorded in the 2010 Census.

But redistricting efforts have traditionally been mired in political battles.

Gianaris, who also serves as chairman of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, took a direct hit of sorts. The new lines pushed his Astoria home into the district of his Democratic colleague, state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst).

State Sens. Toby Stavisky and Tony Avella found themselves drawn into the same district.

Bay Terrace was removed from Avella’s 11th District and moved into Stavisky’s 16th District, which is being touted as the new Asian-American majority district.

“Meanwhile everything else surrounding Bay Terrace is still in my district,” Avella said. “Community leaders there don’t want to be an isolated pocket all to itself.”

Asian-American advocates were not totally unhappy with the proposal.

Jerry Vattamala, staff attorney for the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said the group was pleased that lawmakers saw the need to create an Asian-American majority Senate district in Queens.

“We think it can be drawn better but we are happy they recognized it,” said Vattamala.

State Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr.’s district now runs from parts of Jamaica Estates down to the Rockaways, giving it an unusual jagged shape resembling a Transformers action toy.

They took away parts of Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood and Ozone Park and put in the more Republican-friendly neighborhoods of Broad Channel and Rockaway.

“I’ve long advocated for keeping communities together,” said Addabbo, noting that

there would be four senators representing Forest Hills.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/proposed-redistricting-lines-target-queens-democrats-article-1.1015570#ixzz1lFgSAWWm