TIME TO REFORM PROCESS FOR CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING IN PA,
Senator O'Pake Writes in Letter-to-the-Editor

          Harrisburg

September 28, 2007

Editorial Page Editor
Harrisburg Patriot – News
P.O. Box 2265
Harrisburg, PA 17105

Sir:

With the 2010 census approaching, Pennsylvania must act to prevent congressional and state senate and house districts from being drawn on partisan lines. As prime sponsor of SB 69, I appreciate the Patriot’s continuing editorial support for reforming this process.

However, the so-called “Iowa” plan that the Patriot supports would set the clock back 40 years by giving the General Assembly power over redistricting state house and senate seats in addition to congressional districts.

This is truly the wrong answer to the need to deal with the partisanship that last time butchered counties like Berks, which I represent, and grotesquely gerrymandered congressional districts to strengthen President Bush in Washington.

The “majority rules” power to redraw district lines invites party-line votes. Yet instead of removing it from the process, the Iowa plan extends its reach.

Meanwhile, it does nothing to advance or protect the use of compact, contiguous boundaries and common interests, which already are required, nor to prevent splitting municipalities, which already is prohibited.

SB 69, on the other hand, would leash partisanship in congressional redistricting by placing it under the bi-partisan Legislative Reapportionment Commission, which since constitutional reform in the 1960s has drawn the lines for state legislative districts.

This is more sensible and more doable, and SB 69 passed its first legislative test
with bi-partisan support in May when the Senate Committee on State Government unanimously reported it out.

However, since it requires a Constitutional amendment, time is critical. Unnecessary delays could prevent the achievement of true reform and keep congressional reapportionment as the pawn of whatever political party controls the legislature.

Sincerely,
Michael A. O’Pake
Senate Democratic Whip