Fair Representation in Rural Centre County
Fair Representation in Rural Centre County Chair Nordenberg and the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, My name is Catherine F. Smith and I am a resident of Gregg Township.. I am writing today to ask that the preliminary PA House district lines for Centre County and the Commonwealth, shared with the public on Thursday December 16, 2021, remain as proposed. My personal comments appear first, below, followed by more general comments with which I agree. Personally, while I understand that redistricting relies on voting, nonetheless I want to point to another basis that might matter more to rural municipalities. Specifically, topography, geography, hydrology, and transportation corridors connect Gregg Township with neighboring Penns Valley townships Penn, Miles, Haines as well as Millheim and Centre Hall boroughs. We share topography, weather, surface and subsurface waters, and major east-west PA highways (# 45 and #192). Consequently, on-the-ground practical events, whether emergency or ordinary, often affect us all. For local elected officials, getting assistance from state or state-administered federal agencies through state elected officials needs to be efficient and timely. Proposed new House district 121 and Senate district 25 generally retain the gerrymandered previous map (House) that separated Penns Valley municipalities. The new districts neither repair nor further exacerbate the prior separation in my rural area. So, I accept the new districts as proposed. HOWEVER, I do not support House bill 2207 that would dismantle the Legislative Redistricting Commission. The LRC should continue its work. Thank you for the thoughtful deliberation, fairness, and transparency in the process. I hope you’ll take these remarks into account in approving the final map. Thank you for your commitment and efforts towards upholding Pennsylvania’s democracy. Sincerely, Catherine F. Smith