Don't Silence the Voices of Lower Merion &Narberth
I am a resident of Lower Merion and commenting with dismay that Lower Merion and Narberth continue to be split. The proposed house map unnecessarily splits Lower Merion School District (the fastest growing school district in PA). It not “compact” under PA law because it unfairly breaks our community apart, making it hard for our elected officials to represent and advocate for the needs of disconnected parts of different communities. It does not consider population growth as HD 148 and HD 149 are two of the top five population growth districts. While it was promised this wouldn't happen, these districts look to be drawn to favor incumbents. The people of Lower Merion and Narberth, and frankly all of Pennsylvania, deserve better. Each voice should count with the same weight. Yet, this map dilutes the voices of my family and neighbors', and our representational power in Harrisburg. The proposed senate map, again, favors incumbents while unnecessarily splitting Montgomery County five times with four other counties. My county is the third largest PA county, yet only has one full district when it could have three. It is split five times with four other counties and is overpopulated in every single one of the six districts. It is the fast growing region of Pennsylvania and my community shouldn't have to suffer the negative impacts of the maps as they are drawn for the next decade. Please redraw the maps to better reflect the communities and give true opportunities to the people in those communities, particularly in my house and senate districts.