Speaker Smith's Misguided Legislature Consolidation Plan In Pennsylvania

Misguided. Stupid. Dumb. Yeah:

HARRISBURG -- The speaker of the House is introducing legislation to reduce the size of the chamber from 203 to 153 members.

Rep. Sam Smith, R-Punxsutawney, sent a memo to colleagues last week asking them to co-sponsor a constitutional amendment to reduce the size of the House. His legislation does not apply to the 50-member Senate.

Smith made his position known about cutting the size of the House shortly after the November election, when Republicans took back control of the chamber. His co-sponsorship memo was made public Tuesday.

Now, before you get too confused, here's why he wants to do this:

In the letter, Smith said the debate has focused on whether reducing the size of the House would save or increase the cost to taxpayers. He took no position on the debate.

"So why am I introducing this legislation? Because very simply, I believe a smaller House of Representatives is a more effective body. And I think effectiveness is most desirable to the people of this Commonwealth," Smith wrote.

Ok, where to begin on this. The attack on the legislature has always been, "it's too bloated." What's the one thing you didn't hear in here? How much would be saved. Why? Because it's simply a few million in savings, against a $5 BILLION budget gap for next year, and years to come. This does little or nothing.

It also doesn't do what the Speaker says, which is make the legislature run better. Just how does a House office run better for it's constituents when the size of the district goes up by 25%? That's 25% more in case work, 25% more in people to do town halls for, 25% more in grants to deliver. Putting more people in less districts not only makes constituent service harder, it waters-down the voice of each person. If you're one of 30-45,000 voters now in a district, under his proposal you'll be one of 50,000 at best. That should help you be heard, shouldn't it? Ha.

This proposal is pointless, and I predict it fails. It saves little, hurts constituent services, and makes everyone's voices less heard. I doubt legislators will vote to eliminate some of their own jobs, but if they do, can they please start by putting me in a new House district, I want some decent representation again?