DISTRICTS REDRAWN; LATINOS WARN OF SUIT.

Under heavy pressure from a Democratic congressman and Latino civic leaders, a state redistricting panel on Monday released a new proposal that radically changes the proposed boundaries of new House districts in the San Fernando Valley.

Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills, said Monday he was not completely satisfied with the revised proposal but was resigned to accept it. Sherman had voiced outrage over the previous plan released last week and spent time in Sacramento protesting to state lawmakers who will vote on it.

``Under the time constraints, and given the complexity of the law, this is the best that can be done,'' Sherman said through aide Matt Farrauto.

The state Legislature has until it adjourns on Friday to approve a redistricting plan and pass it on to the governor for consideration. If no proposal is approved, the lines would be determined by a federal court.

Under the previous plan, a large portion of Latino communities - including San Fernando, Pacoima and Panorama City - would have been added to Sherman's district by shifting those neighborhoods away from the Valley district of a fellow Democrat, Rep. Howard Berman, D-Mission Hills.

Berman would have gained some predominantly white neighborhoods in Sherman Oaks and Burbank.

The new plan would add parts of such communities as Mission Hills, Sylmar, Lake View Terrace, Sunland, Tujunga, and Burbank to Sherman's district. The plan also would renumber the 24th and 26th districts the 27th and 28th districts, respectively.

The changes would lower the current 65 percent Latino population in Berman's district to 54 percent, and would reduce the Latino percentage of registered voters from 39 percent to 27 percent.

The changes would raise the Latino population in Sherman's district from the current 20 percent to 36 percent.

Latino groups, including the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Mexican American Political Association, said they plan to sue to stop the changes.

``We're asking state legislators to reject the plans, and if not we're going to court,'' said Antonio Gonzalez, president of the William C. Velasquez Institute, a national nonprofit research group. ``It's very clear that they're trying to pass the hot potato of growth in the Latino community. ... They just can't do that.''

Berman said he was satisfied with both the old and new redistricting plans.

``I think both of us can represent these districts very well,'' Berman said. ``This plan helps secure some of the marginal Democratic districts.''

Democrats are aiming to add a congressional seat for their party in Southern California based on new U.S. census figures that will determine political districts for the next decade.

But some said that while Berman has worked well with the Latino community, the issue is that splitting the Latino voting bloc would violate the Voting Rights Act.

``If Howard thinks those numbers are good enough to placate us, then he doesn't know his constituency very well,'' said Xavier Flores, vice president of the San Fernando Valley MAPA. ``We won't accept anything less that what we already had.''

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PROPOSED NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS

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