Today we honor all of those who died on September 11, 2001. The attacks ten years ago changed our nation forever, and we continue to fight terrorism so that no event like 9/11 will happen again.

Our military stands ready to defend this nation against future attacks. I know many families who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq. For those of you who have lost someone, my thoughts and prayers are with you today.

I know all of you are thinking about those who died on 9/11. May we also think of the families and friends left behind, who we know will never fully recover from the events of that September morning.

We must always remember what happened ten years ago today and be thankful for all of those who have sacrificed for our safety.

Sincerely,

Tommy

This latest report only confirms how dedicated Rep. Pope is to tackling the important issues facing our state and district. You can view the legislative scorecard online. Please visit his Facebook page now to leave a comment or question.

Yesterday, the General Assembly finished up this legislative session’s work in Columbia with the approval of Congressional redistricting. The new 7th District will be centered in Horry County, allowing the Pee Dee region of the state its own representation in Washington. The bill will now be signed by Gov. Haley and sent to the Judicial Department for final approval.

I’ve received a lot of calls and e-mails about a potential Caylee’s Law for South Carolina, regarding the time frame for reporting missing children. I actually reviewed one of the draft bills yesterday with a fellow member of the House. I believe it’s something we should be able to address next session. As always I appreciate your input and support.

Also, I hope to have an online town hall meeting in August. I’ll get more information to you as it is finalized. I’d love to be able to find out how you feel about the legislation in this year’s session and know what issues you want addressed by the General Assembly.

If you need any help or want to express your concerns about South Carolina government, please do not hesitate to contact me through my website, Facebook and e-mail.

Sincerely,

Tommy

Using 2010 U.S. Census data, S.C. House and Senate leaders have been redrawing their districts and U.S. House district lines. York County, the second fastest growing county in the state, has grown 37 percent to 226,073 residents since the 2000 Census.

A purpose of redistricting is to ensure the districts have a similar number of residents. Other goals include respecting communities of interest and maintaining minority percentages in each district. Significant growth means several districts must shed residents to even out populations.

For eastern York County, growth has meant a new state House district largely made up of Fort Mill Township.

But in York County’s most prominent state Senate district – 15 – legislators moved about 22,000 residents into other districts, said the district’s senator, Wes Hayes, a Rock Hill Republican.

As a result, the district will shrink and shift east to cover a smaller, more compact geographical area, and a non-resident senator will gain more ground in York County.

District 15 currently covers much of the county. At its northernmost reaches, the district includes parts of Lake Wylie and Tega Cay. It spans south to the Chester County line and east past Interstate 77. It pushes toward Sharon in the west and includes McConnells, York, Filbert, Newport, and much of Rock Hill.

While the district’s northern border won’t change much, York, McConnells and rural areas in mid- and southern York County will join District 17, a rural senate district spanning Chester and Fairfield counties.

Represented by Sen. Creighton Coleman, a Winnsboro Democrat, the district already includes a narrow swath of York County from the Chester County line to the southern part of Rock Hill.

York County has two other non-resident senators: Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney, of District 14 and Chauncey “Greg” Gregory, R-Lancaster, of District 16. Both will still have a York County presence in the new plan.

But there’s a tradeoff for having non-resident leaders in Columbia – the new voices mean more “clout” for York County, members of the county’s legislative delegation say.

“Most people would prefer to have a resident senator, or a resident House member, or someone who lives in that particular county,” said Hayes who has served in the state Senate since 1991. “That’s human nature.”

But having a non-resident representative is “not necessarily always a bad thing,” he said, adding that more legislators with constituents in York County mean more influence in Columbia.

Hayes said the county’s legislative delegation works together to serve the county, regardless of district lines.

“When people call me for help, I don’t check the lines to see if they’re in my district,” he said. “I have a countywide responsibility anyway.”

State Rep. Tommy Pope, R-York, said he was at first concerned about the shifting lines.

“The strangest thing for me is living as close as I do to York, and the downtown part got cut out” of House District 47, which Pope represents.

But after talking with other county leaders, they decided it wasn’t a problem. It wouldn’t determine whom he helps, he said.

While there’s “potential” for non-resident leaders to overlook some of the county’s interest, any “diligent representative” could overcome that problem, Pope said.

Some York leaders aren’t worried about the changes for the city, which includes House districts that dissect the city.

The new district lines won’t change much about how constituents interact with their state leaders, said York Mayor Eddie Lee and Paul Boger, executive director of the Greater York Chamber of Commerce.

“We focus on those representatives that cover our county,” Boger said. “Whether one has a little bit more of the city of York, I don’t think it makes that much of a difference.”

“As a voter and as an elected official, I work with them all. I ask them all for things,” said Lee, citing frequent chats with state Rep. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill, as an example.

Courtesy of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal