Opposition to proposed new districts
I am opposed to the new district defintion and agree with the assessment presented by my state Respresentative Chris Quinn. "Middletown would be divided in two House districts. Newtown would be cut off from Marple Township, which divides the school district. Thornbury, Upper Providence, Chester Heights and Media Borough would also be removed. What’s left would be included in a district with Radnor Township. This plan would partition the Rose Tree Media and Marple Newtown school districts into three different House districts. It also divides the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District. This unnecessary division will hurt our community. Our Constitution clearly highlights that communities of interest should remain together. Our school districts are the heart of our communities. There is no clearer definition of a “community of interest” than a school district. It is where we come together for art, music and sports. It’s where our kids make friends and where we make lasting relationships. While I understand that some school districts will need to be split, the Rose Tree Media School District has been wholly placed in the same legislative district for the last 40 years. In fact, the population within the school district is slightly more than 50%of the ideal population of a state House district. By dividing the school district, grants, funding and other state government opportunities will be harmed. By having a unified voice in Harrisburg, the district will remain relevant. It will be a minority of any new House district and will not receive the focus it deserves. Sincerely, Anne Brown