82nd District Elimination
As an employee of Juniata County Government, I can tell you first hand what the elimination of this district will mean for its citizens. Many times I have citizens come in to the courthouse and we have to send them to the state representative's office for assistance and guidance. As the current map stands, if someone come in here from Fayette or Monroe Township, I have to tell them that they have to make a trip to Mifflinburg to see a Rep who will inevitably care very little about those from rural Juniata County as they represent those from largely populated Mifflinburg in Union County, Snyder county, and a large portion of Mifflin county?? As it currently stands, while they are in Mifflintown they can drive 3 minutes and be in Representative Hershey's current office. Is it also fair that those from the rest of Juniata County will have to make a trip to New Bloomfield to see a Rep who more than likely always be from Perry County?? As it currently stands the 82nd makes up Juniata County in its entirety, part of Mifflin County, and part of Franklin County and it has done well that way for a long time. Mifflin and Juniata Counties especially have a good relationship as we share Human Services, Agency on Aging, Call-a-Ride Services, Drug and Alcohol, United Way, and EMS to name a few. Currently Juniata County has no other congenial relationships with the other counties in the proposed 85th and 85th district. The new map would only work to undermine the the current relationship that we have with our Representation and other counties in the current district. In addition, Juniata County has only one small School District and relies on both the local House of Representative and Senator to promote government centered programs that are provided to students. If the Plan that is proposed is passed and implemented, students of the same family could be attending schools that are under two different House Representative officials. This situation puts Juniata County students at risk for losing consistent educational opportunities about and from State Government. Our small rural agricultural County would become only one of several larger Counties to receive only time “left over” from their elected State House Representative official instead of currently receiving time and the vested interest of a House Representative official that understands this small rural County and the citizens who live here. We strongly recommend that this Commission maintain that the primary location of the State House of Representative local official remain in Mifflintown; and that the Plan is completed to continue the inclusion of our neighbor Mifflin County.