Trending
Mifflin County, Juniata County and the Path Valley in northwest Franklin County share common infrastructure, social services agencies and major industries. The way of life emphasizes honesty, family values, farming and Biblical principles. It is a region united ... for now.
The Legislative Reapportionment Commission has devastatingly pinched, cleaved, divided and hacked up the region's commonalities in the new state House and Senate district maps preliminarily approved by that commission on Dec. 16.
Under the new maps, the district I've been blessed to represent -- the 82nd Legislative District -- would be eliminated.
Fayette Township, the largest municipality in Juniata County, would be tacked onto the district currently represented by Rep. David Rowe, who lives in Union County. David is a skilled lawmaker, but accessing his Mifflinburg office would be an hour's drive each direction for a McAlisterville resident in need of constituent services. Gone would be the days of making a quick stop to pick up a Property Tax/Rent Rebate application form.
The vast majority of Juniata County would be in a district with Perry County, despite Juniata County sharing a Chamber of Commerce, Area Agency on Aging, Department of Human Services and many other agencies with Mifflin County. Many people who live in Juniata County communities like Mifflintown and Port Royal work at Mifflin County employers, including Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital, First Quality and Standard Steel LLC.
The Legislative Reapportionment Commission then cut off a large chunk of Mifflin County in exchange for a second State College-based seat. Meanwhile, Burnham borough and Decatur Township are cut into the Mifflinburg-based district, meaning those residents would have to drive to Mifflinburg, rather than Lewistown, for services.
Fannett, Metal and St. Thomas townships didn't fare any better in the newly drawn maps. They would be drawn into a Huntingdon County-based district farther from a population center than they are today. Those residents currently have access to satellite office hours in Fannettsburg and St. Thomas townships and would likely lose such accessibility.
Fourteen Republican districts, including mine, were forced together compared to just two Democratic seats. It is important to know this is not about me or any other individual legislator. This is about communities being divided. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvanians came to rely on their state representatives more than ever before. My district offices fielded thousands of calls about unemployment claims and business shutdown orders when the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry literally didn't answer the phone. We were there for you -- our neighbors and friends. Those types of services would be hurt by the maps presented by the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, which had a tiebreaking vote cast by its unelected leader.
The error-riddled maps presented Dec. 16 are not finalized. We are in the midst of a 30-day comment period in which the Constitution allows for "any person aggrieved" by the preliminary plan to voice his or her concerns. In my opinion, every resident of the current 82nd District is aggrieved. Comments can be submitted at www.redistricting.state.pa.us or sent in writing to 2021 Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission, P.O. Box 203079, Harrisburg, PA 17120.
As always, I am available to answer questions you have about legislative or state-related matters. Please feel free to call my Mifflintown office at 717-436-6001 or Lewistown office at 717-242-0423.
¯¯¯
State Rep. John Hershey represents the 82nd Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The 82nd District includes all of Juniata County, a portion of Mifflin County and a portion of Franklin County.