Run, Puppet, Run I: MARKY MINER URGES St. Johns County Be Preserved in One District, As If SHOAR/LARIZZA/RNC's Gift, and JOHN LUIGI MICA's Gift, to "Entitled" Energumen Anti-intellectual Next Reichwing Republican-in-Line

Letter: We need singular representation in Congress
Posted: August 14, 2015 - 11:38pm
By MARK P. MINER
St. Augustine
As a former county commissioner, I can tell you that working closely with our congressman was vitally important to effectively addressing the funding, statutory, regulatory and infrastructure needs of our county at the federal level to help our residents and to protect our quality of life.
For 13 years now, our county has had the benefit (sic) of having one congressman dedicated (sic) to our county’s needs and interests.
This occurred because, in the current four-county congressional district, our entire county is not divided up among several districts, but is rather a large and influential county within the current district — and has the full attention of our congressman.
This brought very positive results for St. Johns County. For example, on issue after issue, as a county commissioner, I worked closely with Rep. John Mica to solve problems and meet the needs of our residents.
I can name several federal funding issues in which our county’s residents won by having a congressman who was very focused representing our entire county. [What are they: he didn't name them!]
The Florida Legislature is meeting in Tallahassee to redraw congressional districts pursuant to a court ruling. Our congressional district is not required to be redrawn.
However, there is potentially bad (sic) news for St. Johns County. The new proposed congressional district map, just released, divides and splits up our county.
Instead of having our whole county completely represented within one congressional district, which we have had for the last 13 years, our county will be split up and divided between different congressional districts. [So why is that a bad thing, MARKY?]
The bottom line is we will no longer have our congressman and we will no longer have a unified voice as a county at the federal level.
Our needs may not receive the same level of attention and our voice could be diminished.
Our residents understand these issues and care a lot about making sure our county is effectively represented in Washington, D.C.
I am asking all who are able to take a few minutes to call each of the legislative offices in Tallahassee — their information below —it’s just a two-minute phone call. Our message should be simple: Do not split up or divide our county.
Keep keep (sic) our whole county in our current congressional district. Lawmakers value hearing from our community on these issues.
The the (sic) map was just released, and the clock is now ticking.
I am grateful to each of you for all that do to make our community a wonderful place to live, work, and visit.
Your action on this issue could make a major difference right now in keeping the interests of St. Johns County at the forefront in Washington, D.C.
Sen. Bill Galvano, Chair, Reapportionment, 850-487-5026: Rep. Jose Oliva, Chair, Select Committee on Redistricting, 850-717-5110: Sen. Travis Hutson, 850-487-5006: Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, 850-717-5017: Rep. Paul Renner, 850-717-5024.