Town of McCandless Redistricting Comments
January 13, 2022 Legislative Reapportionment Commission Dr. Mark A. Nordenberg, Chair Dear Dr. Nordenberg: This letter is written on behalf of the Town Council and citizens of the Town of McCandless regarding the significant impact to the Town resulting from the decennial redistricting process and the preliminary district maps for the PA House and Senate Districts. Our concerns are not related to partisan politics or a reflection of any particular elected official’s ability to represent the Town. They are quite simply due to the impact these changes will have on our community. Article 2, Section 16 of the Pennsylvania Constitution states that “Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a senatorial or representative district.” We do not see the necessity of splitting the Town as has been proposed. Further, we are concerned that this split will create new challenges for multi-municipal collaboration efforts that have previously been encouraged and supported by the House and Senate Districts as they exist today. The current North Allegheny School District boundaries have created solid connections between neighboring communities of Bradford Woods, Franklin Park, Marshall, and McCandless. The proposed preliminary maps for the House and Senate Districts create needless divisions between these connections. In the proposed House Districts, most of McCandless would be separated from Bradford Woods, Marshall and Franklin Park. Although the proposed boundary changes to Senate District 38 would not divide McCandless itself, the town would still be separated from the other municipalities in its school district. Connections between our communities are extremely important and this proposal has the potential to fracture the existing connections. In addition to our concerns about dividing the school district, we believe that the map changes will complicate the Town’s ability to accomplish the active transportation goals set forth in our comprehensive plan because of working with multiple representatives. This will slow our ability to move forward with major infrastructure projects that we hope to have partnerships with the state to accomplish. Furthermore, the new district lines will create confusion among our residents as to who is representing them. In closing, it is common sense to not split a community between districts. We simply ask to be represented as one by one. Yours truly, Robert T. Grimm, Town Manager