PA Supreme Court Upholds Legislative Reapportionment Plan

The revised Pennsylvania legislative reapportionment plan was upheld in state Supreme Court, according to the Tribune Review.

All appeals to the plan have been dismissed, which sets legislative boundaries based on the 2010 census shift, according to the report. The plan will go into effect in the 2014 election year. 

The reapportionment will not affect Peters Township's leadership. 

State Sen. Matt Smith (D-Mt. Lebanon) of the 37th District will lose the boroughs of Avalon and Ben Avon and gain the boroughs of McDonald (Allegheny County portion), Rosslyn Farms, Pennsbury Village and Thornburg, as well as Robinson Township.

State Rep. John Maher (R-Upper St. Clair) of the 40th District will remain representative of Upper St. Clair, Peters and a portion of Bethel Park, although the Bethel Park boundary will change a bit. 

"A portion that encompasses Bethel Park changes a bit, but my disposition won't change. I'll remain responsive to anyone in Bethel," Maher told Patch.

House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Bradford Woods), a member of the reapportionment commission, told the Trib that the decision reaffirmed that the panel “met its constitutional and statutory obligations.”

Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Forest Hills), another member, told the newspaper:

“We believe that we successfully argued that a fair map, one that includes far fewer municipality, county and community splits, could be created."

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