Thank you for keeping Perry County together
Thank you, LRC, for your enormously important work and for keeping Perry County together in your preliminary state House district map. As a Perry County commissioner, I can assure you Perry County is indeed one community. But to prevent rural voices from being diluted in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives , I believe the 86th District House seat should be redrawn to separate Perry and Juniata counties. There are significant differences between Perry County’s orientation and that of Juniata County. Historically, commercially, and politically, Perry County has been tied to Cumberland County. To pick up the 18,000 in population needed outside of Perry County, it makes sense that the 86th District should include a sliver of Cumberland County. Some examples for your consideration: • More than 70 percent of Perry County’s workforce commutes to jobs outside the county each day, many to Cumberland County. Most Juniata County residents travel to Lewistown, State College, or Selinsgrove/Sunbury. • Perry County is part of the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission that includes Cumberland County. • Cumberland and Perry counties operate a joint housing authority. • Perry County receives much of its medical services from UPMC and Penn State Health, both having hospitals based in Cumberland County. Juniata County is closer to the Geisinger Health System. • Mental Health Services are connected between Cumberland and Perry counties. • Children and Youth Services are shared between Cumberland and Perry counties. • Services for people with disabilities are linked under The ARC of Cumberland & Perry Counties. • Domestic violence services, along with legal aid support, are jointly handled by Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry counties. • Perry County belongs to the Central Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (rabbittransit), which includes parts of Cumberland County. Juniata does not. • Perry and Juniata counties are in two different PennDOT districts; Perry in District 8, which includes Cumberland County, Juniata in District 2. • Perry and Cumberland public school districts fall within the Capital Area Intermediate Unit; Juniata County’s under the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit. • Perry and Juniata counties fall in separate media markets; Harrisburg vs. Altoona/State College. Thank you again for your hard work.