Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch said he’s fine with the fact Andrew Cuomo hasn’t included nonpartisan redistricting as part of his state barnstorming tour.

“From a personal point of view, I’d like him to include it, but I have no problem in understanding why he hasn’t,” said Koch, who founded New York Uprising last year to push the issue.

Cuomo signed the Uprising pledge sent a letter of support during his gubernatorial campaign, but the governor has not made redistricting part of his recent push to fulfill a few remaining items on his legislative agenda: a property tax cap, ethics reform, and a same-sex marriage bill. [A reader points out Cuomo did not technically sign the pledge, but sent a letter echoing its aims, which was good enough for Koch to consider him a "Hero of Reform."]

“There’s a limited number of issues that the governor can talk about it,” Koch told me this morning.

The former mayor has done his own barnstorming–traveling to legislators’ home district to brand them enemies of reform–but he conceded it’s  “a very esoteric issue,” and suggested what might happen if Cuomo tried to implore constituents to write their legislators about redistricting.

“They’ll yawn,” he said.

In private meetings, Koch said Cuomo has indicated the issue is a priority. And, according to Koch, the governor has agreed to appear at a joint New York Uprising-Citizens Union event focused on the issue–to be held sometime before the end of the legislative session–and that the press will be invited. Read More