The LRC Gerrymandering Needs to Stop
Dear LRC, First, I must express my dismay at the complexity of your current website. It is nearly impossible to understand how to navigate the various maps and map-related files hosted on your page. While I do not dismiss the complexity of drawing and presenting maps and all of the relevant, accompanying data - it is literally the job of the LRC to do so. To that end, despite spending considerable time on your website, it is unclear which are the "official" maps versus maps submitted by random individuals (i.e. Dave's map - it is unclear why you chose to feature one individual named Dave). While the legal description allowed me to ascertain which district I would reside in, your physical maps are utterly useless, confusing to anyone even with more than a modicum of technology acuity, and I suspect that was in part by design. By contrast, the maps presented for the last decennial census - 10 YEARS ago - were far easier to navigate and understand. But this futility and lack of respect for the time of PA citizens that need to understand this proposal is par for the course. My main comments will be relatively brief, because I unfortunately doubt very much the sincerity with which several members of the LRC, most especially the chairman, Mr. Nordenberg, hold constructive feedback and public comment. These maps should be discarded and you should commence again, even if it means that the current maps in place are utilized for the next election cycle. I currently reside in the 105th Legislative House District, in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County. The 105th district is relatively compact, and very easy to understand: it consists of three whole municipalities (Lower Paxton, West Hanover and South Hanover townships). Every effort to preserve this compactness should have been pursued. I think everyone understands that over time, populations shift and what worked perfectly in 2012 may not work in 2022. But...to carve up municipalities as you have done - particularly Lower Paxton Township which may be the largest (by population) in the county - so that you can achieve a partisan outcome is an abomination. You have embraced with these maps, and with my current legislative district in particular, a brand of gerrymandering that goes far beyond any legitimate complaints about past practices that you could reasonably muster with a straight face. Let's not kid ourselves with niceties. Democrats and their abettor, Mr. Nordenberg, see map manipulation as their sole means of seizing control of the Pennsylvania state legislature. Mr. Nordenberg, past chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh with deep ties to the university to this day, sees his current role as an opportunity to target Republicans within the General Assembly that he holds responsible for questioning the appropriateness of the use of public taxpayer dollars afforded to the school. He now seeks to gain his pound of flesh as retribution. He frankly should be ashamed of abusing the public trust that was inherent to the position for which he was appointed, where he was to act as a consensus builder - not pursue partisan retribution. As it stands, my family and I will be assigned to new districts, with little homogeny and common interests, no compactness, which splits my home municipality into a balkanized representation of voting precincts that the overwhelming majority of residents do not comprehend - and all so that Mr. Nordenberg may seek his retribution and Democrats may take from a partisan process that which they have ineptly been unable to take from a fair electoral process. Should these maps go forward as presently envisioned, which would be a significant infringement on my rights and many of my neighbors, I certainly hope that you are called to answer in court for your betrayal of public trust. Patrick Henderson Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County Current resident of 105th Legislative District