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State Rep. Greg Vitali D-Delaware www.pahouse.com/Vitali

Vitali testifies at reapportionment hearing

HARRISBURG, Nov. 23 – State Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, at a hearing today urged the Legislative Reapportionment Commission to keep Haverford Township in one legislative district.

"Just as political lines must change to account for shifts in population, so must political conduct change to account for shifts in public sentiment," Vitali said. "This plan, which splits Haverford Township for political reasons, is a reflection of the old way of thinking in Harrisburg that voters have demanded must end."

Under the preliminary plan, wards 1 and 9 in southwestern Haverford Township are proposed to move from the 166th Legislative District, which Vitali represents, to the 163rd Legislative District, which Republican Nicholas Micozzie represents. Both wards are Republican-leaning.

Vitali said this is a violation of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which prohibits splitting municipalities into multiple legislative districts unless absolutely necessary.

Vitali believes the purpose of moving the two wards to the 163^rd Legislative District is to ensure it remains a Republican seat. The change would increase Republican registration in the 163^rd District from 46.6 percent to 52.2 percent.

"This change would come at a cost to residents and officials from Haverford Township," Vitali said. "It would make it difficult for residents to know their state representative, complicate communications between local elected officials and their state representatives and diminish Haverford's sense of community. In addition, it would make it more difficult for the state representative to focus on the problems of Haverford Township as a whole."

Haverford Township Commissioners on Nov. 14 unanimously adopted a resolution opposing the preliminary plan because it splits the township into two legislative districts.

Changes proposed in the preliminary plan make three Delaware County legislative districts less politically competitive. The Republican-controlled 163rd District would add registered Republicans, and the Democratic-controlled 164^th and 166^th Legislative Districts would add registered Democrats.

"That's bad public policy," Vitali said.

Vitali presented to the commission another redistricting plan for all of Delaware County that kept Haverford Township in the 166th District. This alternative plan split only nine municipalities in Delaware County while the preliminary plan splits 16 municipalities.

Vitali also filed a second exception as an alternative if his first exception was rejected.

It asks the commission to consider moving the 7^th and 8^th precincts in Upper Darby Township's 4^th Ward to the 163^rd Legislative District and keeping Haverford Township's 1^st Ward, 1^st Precinct and 1^st and 3^rd precincts in the 9^th Ward in the 166^th Legislative District

Under this proposal, Upper Darby would not be split in a third legislative district and more of Haverford Township would remain in the 166^th Legislative District.

The commission is expected to take a final vote on the plan next month. After that, it is subject to legal challenges.

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