Regarding redistricting of the nine legislative districts: I am concerned about the three map-based proposals from Main Street Communications (Option 1, Option 2 and Option 3) that are available on the Sullivan County website.  It is difficult to compare these new maps to the current district map. 

It is my understanding that redistricting is necessary in order to give each legislator’s district an approximately equal percentage of the county’s overall population, yet none of these maps show population statistics. In order to review and compare the redistricting proposals, it would be helpful if Main Street Communications were to produce maps showing population statistics. If all three new maps and the current district map had population statistics, that would clarify the intent of redistricting.

The three options show boundaries, but it is difficult to compare them to the current boundaries.  It would be helpful if Main Street Communications were to produce overlay maps showing how the three new maps have different boundaries from the current district map.  Using Option 1 as an example, it would be good to see the boundaries of this map superimposed over the boundaries in the current district map.

Martha Scoppa
Liberty, NY

Letter of the Month

​​Cynthia Nash’s letter “‘Lysistrata’ for the 21st century” (June 28-July 6) was chosen as the Letter of the Month.

It was a difficult decision. Those weeks included the overturning of Roe v Wade, Sullivan County redistricting and other hot-button issues. Gentle reminders of the plants and animals around us countered the pain.

These days, when we can air our opinions quickly on social media, writing a letter to a newspaper demands some thought. It calls for care, because your name is attached. Words are often chosen carefully, because a letter will not disappear under a tide of online comments or Twitter rage. 

A letter lives.

Thank you to all who wrote to us this past month. And we hope you will share your views and fears with the River Reporter in the future.