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Monday, June 17, 2013

Plainfield hits the magic number


Figures from the Census Bureau's latest population estimates show Plainfield
topping 50,000.
 
Plainfield has hit the 'magic' number, but will it do any good?

When the U.S. Census released updated population estimates for New Jersey a few days ago, a table was included so you could look up your municipality (see Ledger story here).

Plainfield's estimated population in 2012 clocks in at 50,244, an increase from the 2010 Census count of 49,912.

50,000 is the 'magic' number for communities to gain control over how their Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) will be allocated.

As things stand now, with Plainfield's official count below the threshold, Plainfield solicits grant applications from local nonprofits and others and a committee reviews and ranks these proposals, which are then forwarded to a Union County committee that makes the final allocations.

A longstanding complaint has been that Plainfield feels it doesn't get the actual monies returned to local programs as if it were in control of the allocations itself.

The problem is that HUD sets the CDBG thresholds based on the decennial Census numbers, meaning Plainfield won't see a change in the distribution pattern until after the 2020 decennial Census.

But at least we can look forward to the positive impact the change will have. Some of us suspected all along that Plainfield was undercounted in 2010. Whether Plainfield has grown or whether the count is just more accurate, we should do better the next time around.





-- Dan Damon [follow]


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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

But only approximately 5,000 voters voted for the participants in the Mayoral primaries? How many of that 50k care or are legal?

Anonymous said...

once harons done she'll move and Mary too.

Anonymous said...

Is it possible to get a waiver, or some sort of appeal since we were so close?

Anonymous said...

Why do you think Plainfield is in the bad shape it is in? We have people who don't care stay home and let very under qualified people run the city. If you don't believe me, read the blogs or ask someone who attended the budget meetings how informed the council members were. Pitiful.

Anonymous said...

Is the reason that the Mayor and Hellwig let the illegals hang out on front street is so that they will vote on the Dem line? There were several people who did not speak English trying to vote and were not even registered to vote on election day. They came in to vote for and SRB because she will help them find jobs they said.