Keep current 200th district intact
I have lived in Mt Airy/Chestnut Hill for more than 25 years and also have close friends in Manayunk/Roxborough. The 194th and 200th Legislative Districts are near one another but share little in terms of interests and concerns. Merging them as one 194th district, while lopping off the lower half of Mt Airy to create a new 200th will do a grave disservice - not just to those districts, but to those who are elected to represent them. For legislative representatives to be effective, they must not only in live in the district they represent but possess a deep knowledge of the concerns of those living there. These current 194th and 200th districts each have well-respected representatives who know their home districts well. Each district has its own commercial corridors - Germantown Ave and Main Street/Ridge Ave that are at a significant distance from each other. Each district has its own unique concerns related to housing development, schools and religious houses of worship, etc. Having one person represent both districts makes no more sense than amalgamating Mt. Airy with South Philadelphia even though we all share a city boundary. I strongly urge you to adopt the boundaries proposed by the Fair Districts PA in their "Peoples Map” which would keep these two communities of interest intact – a major aim of the LRC in putting a stop to partisan gerrymandering.