HARRISBURG - A smaller Legislature fits with the trend of smaller government, but local lawmakers say caution is needed lest people lose local representation.
State Speaker of the House Sam Smith introduced House Bill 153 Tuesday that would call for the reduction of the General Assembly by 50 members, from the current number of 203 down to 153. Such action would require a constitutional convention and approval by both the House and Senate.
While the proposal is getting a lot of attention, it's nothing new, said state Sen. John Gordner (R-27), who has been in Harrisburg since 1993.
"Every session, someone introduces legislation to reduce the number of members in the state House, but because this time it's from Sam Smith, a long-time member and the current Speaker of the House, it draws more recognition and causes people to take a serious look at it," Gordner said.
Sixty-one members of the House are listed as co-sponsors of the legislation, but local Reps. Linda Schlegel-Culver (R-108) and Kurt Masser (R-107) are not among them.
"I have concerns about it," Culver said Wednesday. "If we reduce the number of legislators, that gives the people less access to their lawmakers."
Culver said the state House is much like England's House of Commons, with representatives elected from people who live among those they serve.
"We have to find time to visit with every municipality, attend public events and work in Harrisburg," Culver said. "An increase could bring more suburban areas into the district, so where does that leave the farmers in our area, and their concerns over rural issues?"
Masser said during the campaign last year he was in favor of reform, including the size reduction, but he reiterated Wednesday it needs to be done with caution.
"On the face of it, it's great because we are shrinking the size of government, but we have to be careful not to lose our representation, especially for our rural areas," Masser said.
Real savings?
With only 50 state senators, Gordner knows the aspect of being spread too thin. His 27th Senatorial District cover all or parts of six counties.
"I have a staff member in each county office that helps, because there is no way for me to be in all six counties at once to hear concerns, and be in Harrisburg for meetings," he said, noting his sessions Wednesday with several school superintendents and four recent days of Senate Appropriations meetings.
Proponents of the plan say the reduction will save the state money, but Gordner isn't sure it would be all that much.
"While there could be a savings of salaries and benefits for House members and their staffs, it might not be as substantial as they hope," Gordner said.
No more 'local'?
Gordner said if the proposal passes, Northumberland County could have only one person representing it in the House, a reduction of 50 percent. Masser painted an even bleaker picture.
"If Northumberland County is looped into an area with an area like Wilkes-Barre, there will never be another legislator from this area," Masser predicted.
While Smith's proposal is public, it's far from final. In addition to the constitutional amendment, the bill would needs to pass in both chambers in two successive legislative sessions.
The bill stipulates the amendment then be put on the ballot for the first available election at least three months after the bill is passed by the General Assembly.
With a legislative session lasting two years, the public would not be able to vote on the measure until at least 2013.
Should voters pass the referendum, it would not take effect until the opening of the first General Assembly session following the 2020 reapportionment.
"It would be a challenge to pass it through," Gordner said. "It just needs to be looked at closely. Look at the costs, look at the proposal, and how it will affect everyone with the loss of representation."
"We need to get more public input and make sure that people are thinking it through carefully," Culver said. "See what the impacts will be in every aspect, including the delivery of services to the constituency."