Montgomery County Senate Map Dilutes Our Vote
I am a 30-year resident of Montgomery County and very dissatisfied with the preliminary Senate map. Here's why: 1. How is it possible that all 6 Montgomery County senate districts have a large surplus deviation from the 260k district target - approxiamately 40k constituent surplus packed into our 6 districts! How is that good for the PA citizens in those 6 districts. This surplus is also found in nearly every senate district in Southeast PA county while Allegheny and most Western PA county districts have less than the target (averaging @4% or more below target). The sum of this the map as drawn dilutes the voting power of Montgomery County citizens and other fast growing regions and maintains voting power in regions that have lost population. The result is a significant imbalance in senate representation for Montgomery County and South/Southeast counties Over the next 10 years, these growing population counties will grow more while our shrinking counties will shrink more. This map can only widen the disconnect between our growing and shrinking population centers. Action Requested: Please adjust the senate map to balance out the population deviations for all senate districts that are currently above and below 4% deviation. 2. The 5-0 LRC vote smacks of a classic 'buddymander' between Senate party leaders - a traditional closed-door agreement that is everything most Pennsylvania abhor about our state politics. Talk about lack of transparency and contempt for participative democracy... Action Requested: Senators Costa & Ward to speak publicly at January LRC hearings on these 2 topics: 1. What criteria was the basis for your agreement on the preliminary senate map? 2. How does PA benefit when the fastest-growing population senate districts are under-represented with excess district populations? Thank You. Rich Rafferty Montgomery County