Centre County House Districts
To the members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission: Like so many Centre Countians, I have truly appreciated the opportunity to provide public comment to the Commission on the important issue of redistricting and the new . Thank you for creating such an open and accessible way to provide feedback on the Preliminary Plans. To Chair Nordenberg, I appreciate how you have conducted the operations of the Commission. You have led this effort with openness, transparency, fairness, and above all the appropriate decorum that is required of such a monumentally challenging endeavor. From all of us in Centre County, we thank you for your leadership. In October 2021, I provided public comment to the Commission on my perspective of how the House lines in Centre County have not adequately reflected the communities and views of the residents that reside here. During the past decade as a Centre County Commissioner, I've heard from countless residents about the gerrymandering that has occurred in Centre County. My comments in October 2021, reflected a distillation of my conversations during the past several years and a reflection of a potential way forward. I like many other Pennsylvanians feel heard and recognized. I want to appreciate and thank the Commission for advancing on December 16, 2021, preliminary maps that have Centre County represented by three legislators not four (as is in the current map). Also, you have not divided any municipalities into more than two house districts (Ferguson Township is currently divided into three districts). And lastly and potentially the most challenging was to create districts that are a blend of the full swath of views and perspectives that our diverse County has to offer. From the numerous conversations with community members I’ve had over the last several years, months, and days, I feel the new house districts contained in the 12/16 Preliminary Plan would fairly represent our proud "purple" county – each of the three districts having a blend of urban and rural parts of Centre County. Thank you once again for the opportunity to provide feedback to the Commission. I know the task ahead of you comes with a considerable amount of weight and I wish you the best in your discussions, deliberations, and determinations. *My comments reflect my own perspective and not that of the Centre County Board of Commissioners.