The latest on redistricting
Tomorrow, November 30, is the last day to send a note of protest to the Redistricting Committee’s web site. Every note counts (and is supposed to be copied for all the commissioners)! If your computer can deal with files in .wmv (mine can’t), you can also watch the hearings there.
The delegation representing West Chester, East Bradford, and West Chester University gave its testimony to the Legislative Reapportionment Commission the day before Thanksgiving, as anticipated in Jeremy Gerrard, “Mayor, others to testify against redistricting plan,” Daily Local News, 11/22/11.
West Chester mayor Carolyn Comitta’s testimony has as its bottom line that
“We believe it is absolutely necessary to keep the Borough together - and to keep its State University together - under one House District in order for us to have the best chance of not just surviving but flourishing into the 21st century.”
Indeed, the state should be in the business of recognizing the value of local communities, not breaking them up.
The local delegation went on to propose an alternate scenario for four local districts, splitting two fewer municipalities and not splitting West Chester.
When presented with a fait accompli of a whole state redistricted along partisan principles, it’s not easy to carve a small piece out and redo the map. Ideally, one would start from scratch, using the principles laid down in the state constitution (art. II, sect. 16):
“The Commonwealth shall be divided into fifty senatorial and two hundred three representative districts, which shall be composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as practicable…. Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a senatorial or representative district”
Some states—but not (yet) PA—turn redistricting over to an independent, non-partisan group in order to create compact districts respecting municipal boundaries and voter interests.
That is exactly what one individual, Amanda Holt, did for our own state. For more on her, see Eric Boehm, “Piano teacher conducts her own redistricting plan,” Daily Local News (from PA Independent), 10/1/11.
You can follow up on her ideas and maps at her site.
As you see from the map below, her plan, amazingly, splits only one municipality in all of Chester County. It just shows what an informed citizen can do to show up the machinations of Harrisburg!
As you see, her proposed 156th consists of East Bradford, West Chester, West Goshen, and Westtown. Beautiful! [Subsequent note: legislative tradition is that redistricting should not remove a representative from his or her own district, such as current 156th rep Dan Truitt, who lives in East Goshen; but what is more important, legislative tradition or the state constitution?] Currently (since 2001), the 156th contains the southern half of East Bradford, West Chester, West Goshen, and East Goshen.
The proposal by the WC/EB/WCU delegation for the 156th is closer to the current configuration and still splits East Bradford (the four local districts are shown for context):
Dist. 156 CHESTER County
Part of CHESTER County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of East Bradford (PART District South, Precinct 01), East Goshen, West Goshen, and the BOROUGH of West Chester. Total Population: 62,282
Dist. 158 CHESTER County
Part of CHESTER COUNTY consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of East Bradford (Part, District North, District South Precinct 02), Highland, East Marlborough, Kennett, London Britain, New Garden, Newlin, Pennsbury, West Bradford, and West Marlborough and the BOROUGHS of Avondale and Kennett Square. Total Population: 62,262
Dist. 160 CHESTER and DELAWARE Counties
Part of CHESTER County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of Birmingham, Thornbury, and Pocopson and Part of DELAWARE County consisting of the Townships of Bethel, Chadds Ford, Concord, Thornbury (PART, District 01, 02, 04, 05), and Upper Chichester. Total Population: 63,236
Dist. 168 CHESTER and DELAWARE Counties
Part of CHESTER County consisting of the Townships of Westtown and Part of DELAWARE County consisting of the townships of Aston (PART Wards 02, 03, 05), Edgmont, Middletown, Newtown (PART Precinct 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 08), Thornbury (PART District 3), and Upper Providence (PART, Precincts 01, 04), and the BOROUGHS of Chester Heights and Media. Total Population: 61,571
The state plan for the 156th is definitely a loser, as it splits East Bradford, Westtown, and West Chester:
Dist. 156 CHESTER County.
Part of CHESTER County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of
East Bradford (PART, District North), East Goshen,
West Goshen and Westtown (PART, Precincts 01, 02, 03
and 05) and the BOROUGH of West Chester (PART, Wards
01, 02, 06 and 07).
Total population: 62,874
Dist. 158 CHESTER County.
Part of CHESTER County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of
East Marlborough, Highland, Kennett, London Britain,
New Garden, Newlin, Pennsbury, Pocopson, West Bradford
and West Marlborough and the BOROUGHS of Avondale and
Kennett Square.
Total population: 60,831
Dist. 160 CHESTER and DELAWARE Counties.
Part of CHESTER County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of
Birmingham and East Bradford (PART, District South)
and the BOROUGH of West Chester (PART, Wards 03, 04
and 05) and Part of DELAWARE County consisting of the
TOWNSHIPS of Bethel, Chadds Ford, Concord and Upper
Chichester (PART, Wards 01, 02 [PART, Division 01],
03, 04 and 05).
Total population: 63,438
Dist. 168 CHESTER and DELAWARE Counties.
Part of CHESTER County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of
Thornbury and Westtown (PART, Precinct 04) and Part
of DELAWARE County consisting of the TOWNSHIPS of
Aston (PART, Wards 02, 03 and 05), Edgmont,
Middletown, Newtown (PART, Precincts 01, 02, 04, 05,
06 and 08), Thornbury and Upper Providence (PART,
Precincts 01 and 04) and the BOROUGHS of Chester
Heights and Media.
Total population: 62,208
In short, if local citizens can reduce the number of split municipalities even while hemmed in by a surrounding grid, and if one determined citizen can redistrict the state with a real minimum of split municipalities, it becomes evident that the state Commission has not been giving due attention to the state constitution—which should be its chief guide, not a nuisance to be shoved aside to promote political careers and interests.
