Portland Letter of Opposition to House Redrawing
January 17, 2022 To whom it may concern, The Borough of Portland Council and Borough Mayor are submitting this letter in opposition to the preliminary State House Map. The Council feels it would be best to approve an official resolution opposing the preliminary State House Map, but due to the limited time since the Borough has become aware of the deadline for submission and the requirements to follow the Borough Code and Sunshine Act, the Borough Council would need to hold a special meeting for a resolution to be passed. In light of this time restraint and the requirements set forth for Borough’s to hold a special meeting, the Council hereby is submitting a letter signed by all current Council members who oppose the preliminary drawing of the State House Map. The Borough of Portland (the Borough) has been part of the “Slate Belt'' since prior to its establishment in 1876. The Borough had struggled over the years as many small towns have. The Borough has had devastating floods, fires and struggling businesses but has always managed to keep strong, rebuild and move forward. In recent years the Borough of Portland was asked as part of the “Slate Belt” to participate in the first multi municipal program in the State, a Neighborhood Partnership Program. Better known as the Slate Belt Rising, a partnership with the four main Boroughs of the “Slate Belt”, Bangor, Pen Argyl, Portland and Wind Gap. Our current State House Representative has been extremely supportive of the Slate Belt Rising’s effort to revitalize and rebuild all our small downtowns and reinvigorate the residential areas of all our boroughs in the process. The “Slate Belt” is currently a clear and distinct community of interest with deep cultural heritage, a deep sense of community and a dedication to public service. This is evident in the “Slate Belt” communities as a whole by the commitment to education, including the arts, sports and volunteerism. The “Slate Belt” should truly be kept in one legislative district. Breaking up the legislative district of the “Slate Belt” also needlessly breaks up the Bangor Area School District and places the Borough in a second school district. The Bangor Area School district is currently one of the two school districts that make up the “Slate Belt”; the new preliminary Sate House Map would reduce the ability of the school district as a community to act as a single voice on adverse matters. The Borough of Portland is extremely concerned that by redistricting our Borough to the State Representative in the West End of Monroe County the Borough will not continue to have the support it has worked so hard to achieve over the last decade within the community better known as the “Slate Belt''. It is fully understood that the Borough would remain a Northampton County municipality but being tied to Monroe County State Representative and the West End of Monroe County is already causing confusion even at the preliminary stage. The new map preliminarily shows a very distinct irregular shape in the mapping, essentially creating a peninsula off the southeastern end/corner of the “newly” mapped out district. It is being assumed by most that the Borough is essentially being moved to Monroe County and that is truly not the case. Simply by viewing the preliminary maps there is public confusion. We understand that this decision to “redistrict” may already be determined based on many factors, the main one that can clearly be seen are the population counts. The Borough at least hopes to have been heard, have our concerns heard and that the Borough will not lose its place in the “Slate Belt'' which we have fought so hard to maintain as the smallest municipality. Nor will the Borough lose its support with the potential of a new State House Representative. The West End of Monroe County may not seem on paper so far away from Portland, but in all actuality, we have seen it time and time again, it is. The Borough does not want to feel lost in the shuffle yet again. We finally have solid representation on all levels of government, and we truly would like to keep it that way. Respectfully, Heather Fischer, Mayor Stephanie Steele, Council President Kay Bucci, Council Vice President Official E-signatures Audit Report Available Official Resolution Condemning the State House Map will be issued by Portland Borough Council at February Meeting