Vitali Discusses Haverford Redistricting At Public Meeting

Assembled at the Wednesday night, State Rep. Greg Vitali (D-166) told residents that the redistricting proposal of Haverford Township is being done for political reasons.

The 1st and 9th wards will be directly affected by the proposal, which would move them from Vitali’s 166th district to the 163rd district, he said.

“This occurs every 10 years based on census data. And the idea is because when population shifts, the populations in each district shifts. So the idea is that you shift the district lines to keep about the same number of people in each district,” Vitali explained using a Powerpoint presentation to a crowded auditorium about why the commonwealth’s Reapportionment Commission presented a preliminary plan on Oct. 31 to move the wards. The Powerpoint presentation can be seen as a PDF attachment accompanying this article.

But there is another reason why this is being done, Vitali said.

“In short, it’s politics. And listen, this is not a Democrat/Republican thing. Both sides are guilty of it. Redistricting in the past both on the Democratic and Republican side has devolved into this exercise of incumbency protection. I think the Republicans have a lot more clout this time, ” he said. “What’s driving this is politics.”

Senior Judge Stephen McEwen, who is the chairman of the Reappointionment Commission, allegedly has close ties to John McNichol, chairman of the Republican Party in Upper Darby Township, who allegedly wants to give Haverford Township’s two wards to State Rep. Nick Micozzie’s (R-163) district to make it “into a safe Republican seat,” Vitali accused, citing close sources as his informants. 

The Haverford-Havertown Patch is waiting for responses from McEwen and Micozzie regarding Vitali’s allegations. Patch was not able to reach McNichol late Wednesday evening.

If the proposal goes through, it will affect the 2012 presidential elections, Vitali said.

Bill Wechsler, 9th Ward commissioner and president of the Haverford Township Board of Commissioners, told the audience that the possible redistricting of wards 1 and 9 would also greatly affect the rest of the township. Not only will it be harder for the township to receive grants but the township would have to be in touch with Micozzie, who may not be as familiar with Haverford Township as Vitali is, he said.

Vitali also echoed these remarks, saying that keeping the township “intact” would continue the communication between local officials and residents with one state representative. He even added that the redistricting proposal would give his district more Democrats, but he would rather keep the township together.

But Vitali pointed out that while a portion of Article 2, Section 16 of the Pennsylvania Constitution states, “Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a senatorial or representative district,” this would be a difficult fight.

“I don’t think it’s any guarantee that we will prevail. I think we will have an uphill battle. These provisions in the constitution have been ignored in the past,” Vitali explained to Patch after the meeting.

But during the meeting, Vitali stressed that residents can take action against the proposed redistricting in the hopes of having it rejected. He said residents can send a letter, or exception, to Reapportionment Commission Executive Director Charles O’Connor Jr. at:

Charles E. O’Connor, Jr.
Executive Director
2011 Legislative Reapportionment Commission
104 North Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120

The letter must state “I take exception to the plan” and people can then write their reasons why and they must include their name, address, phone number and signature, Vitali urged, adding that all exceptions must be received by the commission on Nov. 30.

Vitali also told residents that they could express their concerns with Micozzie and also State Senate Republican Leader Dominic Pileggi, who is on the commission and voted in favor of the proposed plan.

There will be a public hearing about the redistricting on Nov. 18 at 12 p.m. in Hearing Room 1 in the North Office in Harrisburg, which Vitali urged residents to attend.

Vice President of the Board of Commissioners and 1st Ward Commissioner Steve D'Emilio told the audience that they should voice their opinions on this matter and that he would not be behind this proposal.

“If this isn’t good for the 1st Ward or the township, I won’t support it,” he said.

Larry Holmes, 6th Ward commissioner, said that he will urge the township’s Board of Commissioners at their meeting on Monday, Nov. 14, to pass a resolution that will state to the commission that the township is against the proposed redistricting. He later told Patch that he has an idea of what the resolution will state.

“We as the elected representatives of Haverford Township are expressing on behalf of all the residents of Haverford Township our exceptions to the proposed plan of reapportion and dividing the 166th legislative district the way that they are,” Holmes said.

A few residents asked questions and made statements, such as Dale McKelvey, who told Vitali that he was opposed to the redistricting proposal.

“If I wanted to be represented by Upper Darby, I would have moved to Upper Darby. My wife and I worked very hard … to stay in Havertown and Haverford Township,” he said.