Happy with what redistricting did to me
January 6, 2022 Dear Commission: RE: House District and Upper Mifflin Township, Cumberland County. I filled out a form and I am not sure it went through so here I am again. I wanted to share some context as I thought it might be helpful to understand my community of interest (COI). You five have a difficult job and many will be unhappy one way or another. I am writing to say, I am happy - RIGHT NOW with what happened to my township in the redistricting. 1. Upper Mifflin Township is divided into two mailing addresses though it only has one voting precinct. The population is about 1302. One area that is the most populated of the township and where I live has a Newburg mailing address - Zip 17240. The other has a Newville mailing address – Zip 17241. 2. Upper Mifflin Township is the most rural township in Cumberland County and has farms, some carpentry and construction businesses run by Amish that work out of the area but live here, and state game lands. The Newburg area I live in is the Amish area of the township (here since the early 1970’s) and they have bought and divided several farms as the young have become adults and their kids are now adults building homes on these divided lands that is why we are the most populated area of the township. 3. My town is Shippensburg as it is for most of the Upper Mifflin Township population not Newville even though we are in the Big Springs School District which is based in Newville. I shop for groceries, have my family doctor, attend church, get my hair done all in Shippensburg. It truly is our COI. 4. I have lived here since November 2000 and my state rep has always been from Carlisle and our township is the most distant area to the west of their district. I have nothing to share with Carlisle Borough or Silver Spring Township. 5. I am not stuck on being in a specific house district with a certain representative. I am about being connected to Shippensburg for our representative – the true COI. I would even take being connected to a rep who is in Franklin County. Chambersburg, Franklin County is where I go to three of my medical specialists (22 miles from me). If I didn’t go there, I would have to go east toward Harrisburg. The nearest I would be able to find the specialist-type I need would be Camp Hill area (45 miles) or Harrisburg area (50ish miles). 6. I only chose to speak in detail about what personally affects me as I am not a redistricting map expert. However, as a Cumberland County resident, I have to say the West Shore state rep house districts’ look a mess. The only municipality I see truly having a connection to Dauphin County is the Camp Hill Borough with the Harvey Taylor Bridge. East Pennsboro is NOT a good fit with Dauphin County. What’s this swapping of Hampden Township? What required that? It’s just weird. Best wishes, Thank you, Theresa Myers