68th Legislative District
Legislative Reapportionment Commission Chairman Nordenberg, It certainly is a challenge to draw district lines that will make everyone happy, and we are seeing that around the state. I appreciate your recognition that there will need to be some adjustments made to the current proposed maps in some parts of the state. I believe expanding 68th legislative district into Bradford County does make sense and continues to serve the area well. Tioga and Bradford County share several services, particularly regarding economic development organizations. We work across county lines in an effort to pool resources to make sure there is an organized effort to create opportunities for growth. Removing our elected Representative from that mix would be devastating. We also have strong agricultural and forestry industries that create several jobs for members of the community. Counties south of us have several other industries that are more unique to their region. Another unifying aspect is Mansfield University. Both Tioga and Bradford have worked well with Mansfield and our students often attend and commute when possible. We don’t see many students commuting from the south as there are several higher educational opportunities for students in those areas. With district offices providing some of the largest volumes of constituent services in both Tioga and Bradford Counties, it’s critical for this area to keep them together. Any major shifts would make that incredibly inconvenient and disrupt the services that our community has relied on for decades. For these and several other reasons, growing the 68th District into Bradford County meets the requirements of the Constitution, holds the communities of interest together, supports Mansfield University, and is a sensible change. Please keep the proposed 68th Legislative District as the Commission has recommended. Thank you for your service and your consideration. Sincerely, Ron Butler Tioga County