HARRISBURG, January 24, 2012 — The Senate Democratic Caucus has filed with the Supreme Court an application to supplement their petition and address a question posed by the Justices in yesterday’s Supreme Court argument on legislative reapportionment. The Justices specifically asked why Senate District 45 was chosen for relocation to the eastern part of the state instead of another district from the west. The Commission responded that due to population considerations, a district from Allegheny County had to be moved and that there were no senators from Allegheny County districts who were retiring.
With Senator Pippy’s announcement one day after the Supreme Court arguments, there is a less disruptive option now available to the Supreme Court. Therefore, the senators have asked the Court to send the Reapportionment Plan back to the Commission to substitute District 37 for 45 and adjust the Allegheny County districts to comply with the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa issued the following statement:
“Time and time again, the Chairman of the Legislative Reapportionment Commission expressed the importance of sharing with him the possibility of any caucus members’ pending retirement, so as to assist in the 2011 redistricting process. Clearly, with Senator Pippy’s announcement, it would preferable to move District 37 rather than District 45. This adjustment would allow the commission to meet its original goals and restore the integrity of the reapportionment process.”
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