February 2011

Dear Friends:

It’s “Official”!  In the past ten years Charles County has grown 21.6% – the second fastest growing county in Maryland.  We, who live in Charles County, have known this for some time and have seen this growth in our neighborhoods, schools, traffic, and business community.

The question that constituents keep asking is, “What does this mean to me?”

One of the outcomes of the census is “Redistricting.”  This is an outgrowth of the 1962 Supreme Court decision that established the doctrine of “one person, one vote.”  This decision requires that all legislative voting districts, whether Congressional or State, be as equal in population as possible.  So, every ten years we look at the population as set by census and decide if the boundaries of our voting districts need to be moved.  Undoubtedly, the boundaries of the voting districts in Charles County will be affected.

This Spring Governor O’Malley will appoint a Redistricting Advisory Committee which will hold regional public hearings throughout the state for Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting.  They will make recommendations to the Governor about how the Congressional districts should be drawn.  In late August or early September, the General Assembly will review the plans and vote on adopting the Congressional redistricting plan.  The outcome of this special session will be used for the State Congressional primary elections next February 14, 2012.

By February 25, 2012, either an alternative state legislative district plan must be adopted or the Governor’s plan will be adopted for the state legislative elections in 2014.

The Census will also be used in allocating funds for transportation, education, senior services, broadband services, etc.  The Census helps agencies, governmental, private, and nonprofits to use concrete figures in showing where there is need for services.

I want to thank all of you who send me questions and ideas about the needs and improvements of our communities and State.  In these strict budget times, new initiatives are scarce; however, I am impressed with the commitment and dedication of the residents of Charles County in seeing need and getting involved to get issues solved.

If you are visiting Annapolis during the session, please stop by and see me.  If you would like to send me a note, please drop me an e-mail.  As always, I look forward to continuing to serve all the residents of Charles County. Please watch my website for continuing updates.

Sincerely,

 

 

Peter F. Murphy
Charles County, District 28