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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Mike Carroll |
  
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Carroll, Scavello arranging bus to Harrisburg for area residents
to lobby for redistricting reform bill
MONROE COUNTY, May 23 – State Rep. Mike Carroll, D-Luzerne/Monroe, said at the request of The Pocono Record and the Monroe County League of Women Voters, and in cooperation with state Rep. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe, he is organizing a bus for local residents to travel to Harrisburg to lobby for a commonsense redistricting of Monroe County.
The House State Government Committee has scheduled a committee meeting at 10:30 a.m. in Room 60 East Wing of the state Capitol on May 29 to consider H.B. 2420, which is co-sponsored by both Carroll and Scavello, as well as the other two members representing parts of Monroe County, Reps. Mike Peifer, R-Monroe/Pike/Wayne and John Siptroth D-Monroe/Pike.
The bus will depart at 6:45 a.m. from the Pocono Township Borough Building (next to the ambulance station) on State Route 611 in Tannersville. Residents may board free of charge. The bus will arrive in Harrisburg at approximately 10 a.m. Following the hearing, the bus will depart from Harrisburg at 3 p.m.
Carroll and Scavello are paying for the bus with their own money, not taxpayer dollars.
"The importance of this measure for Monroe County cannot be underestimated," Scavello said. "Currently, I am the only state legislator whose district is entirely within Monroe County. Although I have a great working relationship with all six senators and my three House colleagues, it would be good for Monroe County to have more legislators who live within county limits to represent our interests at the Capitol."
"There are many House and Senate members that represent multiple counties and of course represent all their citizens to the best of their ability, but we are hoping that the reapportionment following the 2010 census creates districts that are more centrally drawn, less sprawling and cross fewer municipal and county borders," Carroll said.
Scavello noted that after the 2000 census, none of the six state senators who share Monroe County ended up living within county borders. Monroe now has four legislators representing municipalities within Monroe County, up from three during the last reapportionment, but still has just one House seat entirely within the county.
The 189th District, now represented by Monroe County resident Siptroth, used to be entirely within the county, but during reapportionment and due to population growth in the region it, acquired portions of Pike County.
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