Census 2010: Map confirms Census hunches, with surprises

Screen shot of Plainfield from Gannett's Census data page.

Although Plainfield's census data does not appear to be online yet**, Gannett has a nationwide map with some revealing information (see screen shot above) that confirms a Census hunch -- and packs something a surprise.

Though there is no date on the Gannett census page (see here), today is the first I have noticed it.

Zooming in on Plainfield, it is quite evident that the areas of population growth are highest north of a line generally running along 7th Street. Much of that increase is in the Fourth Ward and is in two ranges: 5-15%, and a section west of Grant Avenue between 7th Street and Front Street that falls in the 15-50% range.

The First Ward also shows population growth, though less dramatic. The heaviest pattern is from the Central Business District east to Berckman Street and from Front to Seventh Street, with a band between George and South Avenue running all the way to Leland (5-15%). There is more modest (1-5%) growth in the rest of the First Ward, with a decrease (2-10%) in the far eastern portion from Leland to Terrill.

The Second Ward registers an overall DECLINE in population of 2-10%, except for a wedge bounded by East 7th, Woodland, Evergreen and Park that shows a modest increase of 1-5%.

The Third Ward shows an overall DECLINE in population of 2-10%, except for a rectangular area that appears to be centered in the Library area, approximately from Park to Central and 7th to Stelle.

Both the Second and Third Ward declines are something of a surprise to me. Venturing another hunch, I am guessing that the bulk of the sections with growth is due to our Hispanic population. Are we looking at the possibility that the 4th Ward may become Plainfield's first Hispanic-majority ward?

It will certainly be interesting to get to see the final data when it becomes available.


**The map is designed to open data which has been posted with a click; no Plainfield data is available yet.

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• Gannett: "Census 2010: Counting America"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Census 2010 may bring big changes to Plainfield

Dr. Ernest Reock's guide to redistricting in New Jersey.

Plainfield's 2010 Census is being handled much differently from that of 2000, as far as I can see, and that portends possible big changes coming.

Depending, of course, on what is happening elsewhere in New Jersey and whether or not Gov. Chris Christie will speedily 'promulgate' the Census findings when they are expected to be delivered to him in early February 2011.

Breaking the 50,000+1 barrier for Plainfield has consequences that have previously been noted (see here) --

...[g]etting a census figure of 50,001 residents would mean that Plainfield would get its CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) monies DIRECTLY from HUD. For decades, Plainfield has had to suffer the indignity of monies generated for the programs by virtue of its economic profile going to other Union County communities whose profiles would not generate the same level of revenues. All under the watchful eye of a committee said to be attentive to the desires of 65 King Street [the home of Union County Dem chairperson Charlotte DeFilippo]...

But there are other impacts -- the city's wards will have to be redrawn, the Legislative district may shift as well as the Congressional district.

PLAINFIELD WARDS

Plainfield's four wards were redrawn after the 2000 Census.

Based on the Supreme Court's 'one man, one vote' ruling (Reynolds v. Sims, 1964 -- see here), Plainfield four wards are supposed to represent approximately one fourth of its total residents in each. (Voting districts are an entirely separate matter; a district is determined by the numbers of voters who turn out on average, accounting for the disparity between high- and low-turnout areas in the city.)

As population distribution patterns in the city fluctuate, Ward lines are redrawn to maintain the relative equality. After the 2000 Census, Ward 2 was extended northward to George Street (from South Avenue) and Ward 3 was extended northward to include portions of West 4th Street (from West 7th Street). Both these adjustments reflected a growth in the total populations of Ward 1 and Ward 4.

My gut feeling is that that trend will show itself to have continued in the 2010 Census, and that may mean further changes to the boundaries of the four wards.

Those changes will be made by a Board of Ward Commissioners that will include the four members of the Union County Board of Elections (2 Dems and 2 Republicans) plus the municipal clerk (who has the tie-breaking vote).

I have the current Ward maps online --

• Ward 1 

• Ward 2 

• Ward 3 

• Ward 4

It is most likely the new ward alignments will be in effect for the 2012 election cycle.

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS

The 22nd District includes towns in 3 counties.

Demographic changes may also affect the outlines of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts. Although Union County is not expected to have grown that much, growth spurts in other areas of the state can cause the average number of voters to be included in a legislative district to cause the boundaries of the 22nd District to shift (for more on our district, see here); for more on municipal population estimates statewide, see here).

This will be an interesting one to watch, also expected to first affect the 2012 election cycle.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Our Congressional district is a textbook case of gerrymandering.

After the 2000 Census, Plainfield was added to the 6th Congressional District, whose representative is Frank Pallone.

The district is the very model of modern gerrymandering, Plainfield looking like the head on a very attenuated dragon.

New Jersey is widely expected to lose one of its 13 seats in Congress in this next go-round, meaning all of the Congressional district boundaries will have to be redrawn by the NJ Redistricting Commission (the responsible body -- see more here). This is sure to get interesting as incumbents try to jostle each other to keep their seats. As growth has shifted to central and southern sections of the state, boundaries of the districts in the urban north and east are likely to be shifted outwards.

For a detailed overview of the complete redistricting process, you can do no better than to download, read, mark and digest Dr. Ernest Reock's Redistricting New Jersey After The Census of 2010 (available here, PDF).

Whatever Plainfield's final count in Census 2010, there is certainly going to be plenty else to keep an eye on, which is likely to affect us in ways both large and small.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Census2010: Plainfield Caravan of Errors

City Hall's lawn has suddenly sprouted Census signs.

Plainfield Today has heard back-channel grumbling about Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs' lack of communication with Census2010 officials about Plainfield's planned participation in the outreach activities associated with the final push to get folks to mail in their Census forms.

Communities nationwide were scheduled to participate in local 'March to the Mailbox' events on Friday, but there was no word on Plainfield's website about whether and how Plainfield would participate.

Running into former mayoral candidate Jim Pivnichny Friday evening, I learned that the Mayor's office had left him a voicemail in the morning -- the day OF -- which he did not hear until AFTER the event was over.

Also got to chat with one of the Hispanic leaders in town whom the Mayor mentioned by name in response to Council President McWilliams' inquiries about the Mayor's 'Complete Count Committee' at a Council meeting months ago. I asked how the committee's work had gone, and she replied, 'What committee?' Seems the Mayor never got around to inviting her participation, despite the very public announcement.

The Courier did get the word about the mid-day march, however, and dispatched beat reporter Mark Spivey and photographer Kathy Johnson to cover the event, which appeared in Saturday's print and online editions (see here). For some reason, the Courier has taken down the 81 photos originally posted to its online gallery here. As of Sunday morning, visitors were greeted with the following web page:

The Courier has inexplicably removed Mayor Sharon's 'March to the Mailbox' photos.

I got a call Friday afternoon that there would be a SECOND event at City Hall at 5:00 PM.

This turned out to be a caravan using a float operated by Census2010 staffers.

When it didn't appear at City Hall, I was advised to hotfoot it over to McDonald's, where the crew was said to be assembling. By time I got there, parked in the County Office Building lot and walked around the corner, the float was nowhere to be seen.

In the few minutes I had been navigating, they had taken off westward on Front Street towards points determined by Mayor Robinson-Briggs' confidential assistant Barbara James.

The Elmwood Gardens visit was somewhat muted (Reader-submitted photo).

The caravaners' adventures included a swing by Elmwood Gardens, see photo above, where an observer tells me the desired impact was tempered by the presence of the Police Division's narcotics unit being there at the same time.

The crowning touch of Ms. James caravan route, however, was to guide the Census2010 crew to the Bravo Supermarket at West 7th Street and Clinton Avenue, which is NOT in Plainfield, but rather in South Plainfield, which also happens to be in Middlesex County.

Mayor Robinson-Briggs was spared any embarrassment by this gaffe by not being present for the caravan at all.

All of which leaves unanswered the basic question which has bothered Plainfield's Census2010 campaign from its outset: Is the lack of a plan, a committee and clear communications purposeful (to undercut the count and leave CDBG funding in the hands of the County's Dem machine)?, or is it simply a further manifestation of the general bumbling of the Robinson-Briggs administration?

Cynics are equally divided over the matter.

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• Courier: "Plainfield urges residents to participate in Census"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield's Census 2010 Road Show: Did it happen?

Mockup of a Census2010 tour bus.

Plainfield's date with the Census2010 road show was supposed to be Tuesday.

But did it actually happen?

I didn't see any sign of the Census2010 Road Show tour bus.

Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs made the announcement that the Road Show was coming to Plainfield during her 'State of the City' address at the City Council reorg meeting on January 1st.

The bus, one of a dozen over-the-road tour buses outfitted to promote Census2010 and dispersed throughout the country, was said to be coming in January.

Piv, writing in his blog at the time, wondered 'will it be a show, or will it actually accomplish something?' (see here).

Nothing further was heard.

Until last Thursday, March 4, when I found a notice for the Road Show on the front page of the city's website -- announcing that it would be in Plainfield on March 9. I duly put the following notice on the CLIPS calendar --

• Tuesday - March 9. CENSUS 2010 Road Tour. This is the event originally set for January. For further information on times and locations, check the city website www.plainfield.com/.

Today, the Ledger carries a story of the big hoopla yesterday in Perth Amboy surrounding the Census2010 (see here). How big a hoopla can be guessed from the heavyweights who were present --

...[t]he mayor was joined by William G. Dressel, executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities; U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D-13th Dist.); state Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex); assemblymen John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) and Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex); Middlesex County freeholders Mildred Scott, Blanquita Valenti, James Polos and Christopher Rafano, and Sayreville Councilman Nicholas Perrette...

Thinking there would perhaps be an updated press release on the city website, I checked back early Wednesday morning -- only to find that the notice of the Census2010 Road Tour had VANISHED. Gone. Completely. Not a trace.

And checking the blog for the Census2010 area tour bus (see here; we are part of the Philadelphia area), there is no information at all about a Plainfield event.

Maybe it's time to revise Piv's question.

Was there even a show?

PS: City Hall staffers tell me there was a small gathering at City Hall Library mid-day. Nothing outdoors. No tour bus.

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• Ledger: "Perth Amboy mayors urges residents to be counted"
• Census Blogs: "Constitution - Philadelphia Regional Vehicle"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Too late for the Mayor to pull the Census fat out of the fire?

This Census 2010 poster says it all.

With Census 2010 forms due to arrive in Plainfield mailboxes in about five weeks, we are still waiting for evidence of Mayor Robinson-Briggs' PLAN to ensure a 'complete count', which everyone believes would put Plainfield well over the 50,001 threshold -- so important to the community because funding from Washington would come directly rather than through the county.

Back in November, the Mayor trundled the Census 2010 'partnership team' before the City Council, where they -- and she -- faced sharp questioning by the Councilors, as I reported at the time (see here) --

Councilor Mapp: Could the city's Census plan be put up on the city's website for all to see?
Mayor Robinson-Briggs: 'Absolutely ... in December there will be a PSA (public service announcement)'.

Councilor McWilliams: 'When can the Council see the list of Complete Count Committee members'?
Mayor Robinson-Briggs: (Giving no direct answer about sharing the list with the Council, instead attempting to finesse the situation) '...the Council is welcome to come to the meetings and take part'.

Council President Burney: 'Can we have them [the Latino leaders and groups to whom Robinson-Briggs has reached out] come and talk to us'?
Mayor Robinson-Briggs: 'I've spoken with Alma Cruz (and her group, whose name Robinson-Briggs could not quite recall -- it is Latinas En Accion), Nelson Ortega and Carmen Salavarrieta'.

Mayor Robinson-Briggs and the Census 2010 team also mentioned a January 'road show' event supposed to take place in Plainfied, but which evidently never happened.

Despite Mayor Robinson-Briggs' promise, there is no information on the website (that I can find, anyway); there never was a 'road tour' event in Plainfield to my knowledge; we have never heard anything more about the 'Complete Count Committee' membership, nor whether Latino leaders ever sat down with Council members to explain the plan of action.

Way back last June, when Robinson-Briggs held a splashy press conference to announce the City's census effort (see Courier story here), she said --

I think we're there. I really think we're there. But we have to have confirmation," Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs said of the 50,000 mark. "This is a real rallying call that we're going to get this done."

If it's true, as the Mayor said, that 'we're going to get this done', I have a feeling an intervention is needed.

Can the Mayor pull the fat out of the fire?

I think so, if she acts quickly.

The most undercounted groups are likely to include the elderly (particularly those who are homebound) and Plainfield's immigrant population (largely, but not exclusively, Latino).

Here are a couple of suggestions that could improve Plainfield's Census count --

SENIOR CITIZENS

With more than 4,400 residents over the age of 65 (per the 2000 Census) and only about 1,500 members of the Senior Center, there is an important gap that needs to be bridged. How about Mayor Robinson-Briggs tasking staffers to go out DIRECTLY to AT LEAST the clustered Senior residences and make presentation concerning the importance of filling out the Census questionnaire. This would be greatly helpful at Plainfield Tower West, Covenant Manor, the Cedar Brook, and Richmond Towers, many of whose residents are not active in the Senior Center. The Shut-In Council and the churches could be enlisted in reaching out directly to the HOMEBOUND.

NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS

Many of Plainfield's immigrant families come from countries where the government is not seen to be a friendly agency. How to overcome the mistrust?

How about enlisting as volunteers those who are ALREADY NATURALLY TRUSTED members of the communities? I am thinking of the children of immigrant families who are pupils in the public school system. Who better to encourage adults to participate in the Census, and to allay their fears and suspicions, than the very children of those who most need to be counted? What Census or city employee could possibly have the entré into the neighborhood of a youngster who actually lives and socializes there? But, of course, the Mayor would have to get cracking -- enlisting the school district, preparing a plan (there's that word again), and enthusing the students (something which she could actually be good at).

MOBILIZE THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY

Enlist every church, mosque and other religious organization in the community to devote a few minutes during a service before the Census questionnaires arrive to emphasizing the importance of everyone being counted. What would be so hard about that?

There are, of course, those of a more cynical turn, who point out that Assemblyman Green has not come out strongly in support of a full and complete count (I pointed out back in September that the Assemblyman did not see fit to have Census workers at the enormously popular Central American Independence Festival (see here).

Getting a census figure of at least 50,001 residents would mean that Plainfield would get its CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) monies DIRECTLY from HUD.

For decades, Plainfield has had to suffer the indignity of monies generated for the programs by virtue of its economic profile going to other Union County communities whose profiles would not generate the same level of revenues. All under the watchful eye of a distribution committee whose interest lies in Plainfield not being able to free itself.

Will Mayor Robinson-Briggs and Assemblyman Green, in the little time that is left, rise to the challenge of setting Plainfield free ?

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Census 2010 alert

Good advice for Plainfield residents as we head into the 2010 Census, provided by reader Dr. Ted by way of his son-in-law, who is in the U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn --

2010 Census - Cautions from the Better Business Bureau About Giving Information

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The Big Question - How do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

• If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.
  
  
• Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the census.

REMEMBER - No matter what they ask, you really only need to tell them how many people live at your address.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for social security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

Eventually, census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau WILL NOT CONTACT YOU BY E-MAIL, so be on the lookout for e-mail scams impersonating the Census Bureau. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For more information on the 2010 Census, go to: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit: http://www.bbb.org/us/consumers/

PS -- Olddoc has reminded me he posted earlier in January on this same topic, so be sure to check out his warnings on Census 2010 ripoffs and scams here.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Census jobs available for Plainfielders

Taking Plainfield's 2010 Census will provide $13/hour jobs for full- and part-time workers, according to information distributed by local coordinator George Gore at Monday's council meeting.

Today's Star-Ledger notes that officials responsible for New Jersey's count are looking to hire up to 15,000 workers for the decennial count (see here).

Plainfield residents who land the jobs can look forward to good pay and flexible hours as well as a chance to help the community hit its 50,001 goal.

Applicants must be 18 or older, have a valid Social Security number and pass a multiple-choice basic skills test. Hours can range from 10 to 40 hours per week.

Call toll-free to schedule the qualifying test: (866) 861-2010; you will be prompted to enter a ZIP code for your area of interest. You can also check the jobs website at www.2010censusjobs.gov/.

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• Ledger: "Census looks to hire 15,000 workers for New Jersey count"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Mayor's Census show barges in ... and sinks

Some of the 150 or so who attended last night's Council meeting
-- though not there because of the Census presentation.

Plainfield City Council President Rashid Burney pressed the Robinson-Briggs administration pretty hard at last week's agenda-setting session, wanting to know what the administration's plan for the 2010 Census was. City Administrator Marc Dashield agreed to ask the Census folks in for last night's business meeting.

They came. We saw. They did not conquer.

In fact, the whole Census dog-and-pony show last night reminded me of the worst review actress Tallulah Bankhead ever received. Writing in the New York Post after her 1937 Broadway premier in Antony and Cleopatra, John Mason Brown's one-line zinger was, 'Tallulah Bankhead barged down the Nile as Cleopatra last night -- and sank' (see here).

While about a hundred and fifty residents and employees waited patiently for the 8:00 PM meeting to begin (we were finally let in about 8:45 PM), the Census crew arrived somewhat after 8:30 PM and literally barged their way in past those standing in line inside the door, lugging boxes and bags of materials with them.

Once the meeting got under way, the Census group's photographer tromped up and down the crowded side aisle to get footage of the crowd. If it shows up in a Census PSA (public service announcement), how much you wanna bet it will NOT be noted that the crowd was NOT there for a Census presentation?

Kevin Derricotte presented on behalf of the Census team, noting that Plainfield's effort kicked off on June 4 and 'we have been working since that point with the mayor' -- mentioning specifically the two 'Music in the Plaza' concerts and 'various events'.

Derricotte also mentioned presentations to Shiloh Baptist Church and 'the Presbyterians'. Turns out the latter reference appears to concern El Centro Hispanoamericano, a troubled independent local nonprofit which happens to be housed at United Presbyterian Church on East Front Street. Later referring to both Shiloh and El Centro as 'partners', Derricotte said he 'hadn't spoken with Ms. Hernandez [of El Centro] in about a month'.

(No mention at all was made by Derricotte or Mayor Robinson-Briggs of the two-day Latin American Independence Festival in October, which had thousand of attendees but no Census presence whatsoever.)

The Council listened respectfully to the presentation, but when Derricotte had finished, Council President Burney pressed once again on what he -- and the rest of the Council -- consider the main issues, the crucial importance of engaging foreign-born residents and the necessity of having a plan.

Seeming somewhat flustered, Derricotte rattled off dates of upcoming events, at one point mistakenly referring to Plainfield as 'Linden', garnering a murmur from attendees.

Undeterred, individual councilors took up questioning Derricotte, and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs took the microphone at points to buttress his responses. At this point, Councilors shifted their questions to the mayor directly.

Councilor Mapp asked Mayor Robinson-Briggs whether the city's Census plan could be put up on the city's website for all to see. Mayor Robinson-Briggs replied, 'Absolutely ... in December there will be a PSA (public service announcement)'.

Councilor McWilliams asked the Mayor 'when can the Council see the list of Complete Count Committee members'? Mayor Robinson-Briggs gave no direct answer about sharing the list with the Council, instead attempting to finesse the situation by saying 'the Council was welcome to come to the meetings and take part'.

Council President Burney pressed once more on the question of foreign-born residents, asking Mayor Robinson-Briggs 'if we can have them [the Latino leaders and groups to whom she has reached out] come and talk to us'? Without giving Burney a direct answer, Robinson-Briggs ticked off the list of those she had spoken with: Alma Cruz (and her group, whose name Robinson-Briggs could not quite recall -- it is Latinas En Accion), Nelson Ortega and Carmen Salavarrieta.

Pretty thin stuff.

The Council is quite right to be concerned about whether at this late stage (the Census questionnaires arrive in March) the Robinson-Briggs administration has any plan at all and whether, if it does, it has any REALISTIC plan to engage foreign-born residents in participating.

What Mayor Robinson-Briggs and Derricotte did last night was to list events.

Events, however, are not a plan.

And a plan is what is needed.

Having worked on the 2000 Census, I can testify that --

• We began our preparations MORE THAN A YEAR IN ADVANCE of the actual Census;
  
  
• Mayor Al McWilliams made the broadest outreach to the community, including public and private schools, nonprofits, churches, social agencies, and cultural and civic organizations;
  
  
• The whole was headed up by Library Director Joe Da Rold and a sizeable complete count committee, which developed a plan of action;
  
  
• We did net an increase of over 2,000 in Plainfield's count (to 47,829) -- short of the 50,001 goal, but a definite plus.

Nothing that was said last night or has been done so far gives evidence of any plan by the Robinson-Briggs administration to effectively get us to the goal of 50,001.

They barged through the meeting -- and sank.

Tomorrow, I will offer some modest suggestions on what can be done in the short time that remains.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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The Mayor climbs a (Census) mountain

Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs is undertaking to ensure an accurate population count in the 2010 Census, according to a report in today's Courier (see here).

A lot hangs on it, as it did in the 2000 Census, where organizations throughout the community came together to work hard on securing an accurate count, only to be frustrated in the attempt. (For a thumbnail of the 2000 Census results, see here.)

Although Census officials have several categories of those more likely to go un- or under-counted, including the homeless, seniors and those in group living situations, the 'elephant in the room' this year is the same as in the 2000 count -- Plainfield's exploding Latino population.

At the time of the 2000 Census, there seemed three factors which combined to defeat the city's best efforts:

• The reluctance to participate out of fear of government authorities;
• The difficulty of gaining the trust of undocumented persons;
• Complaints about the quality and thoroughness of those employed to actually do the count.

Everyone agrees the numbers have grown enormously over the past ten years.

My personal estimate, based on some knowledge of housing conditions, including illegal multi-families and roominghouses, is that a more accurate number for Plainfield is probably around 55,000 -- well over the target the Mayor has set.

Will Robinson-Briggs be able to mount the coordinated campaign that is necessary, gain the trust of those afraid to be counted, and drive the process to a successful conclusion?

We can only hope so.

One thing is for certain, this will take grit, gumption and true leadership. Everyone wishes the Mayor well in this endeavor, as it is the whole community that will benefit.

But it will be quite a mountain to climb.

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• Courier: "Plainfield hoping for an accurate count in Census 2010"
• Census: "American Factfinder: Plainfield, NJ - 2000"

-- Dan Damon

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Does Plainfield benefit from dwindling gay urban enclaves?

Are Plainfield and other suburban communities like Maplewood and Montclair benefiting from the diffusion of gays from urban enclaves like New York's, San Francisco's and Los Angeles' to more suburban and exurban communities?

What is this out-migration doing to those urban enclaves? And what is it doing to our towns?

That is the subject of an article in today's New York Times.

Read more here.

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• NY Times: "Gay Enclaves Face Prospect of Being Passé"

-- Dan Damon

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ARCHIVED POSTS OF PLAINFIELD TODAY FROM 11/03/2005 THROUGH 12/31/2006 ARE AT
http://plainfieldtoday.blogspot.com/

Census hooey about Plainfield?

Thursday's Ledger ran a story on the updates to the 2000 population figures released by the Bureau of the Census, citing Plainfield as having a loss of 476 residents.

Mayor Robinson-Briggs doesn't think so. Neither do I.

She cites subdivision of older homes and the growth in school population.

These are certainly important indicators (more on the subdividing of homes -- much of it illegal -- at another time). To that we should add that the Census figures are an update, NOT an actual physical census.

The next ACTUAL count of people in Plainfield will be in April, 2010. City officials believe we were undercounted in 2000, despite an enormous public relations and community involvement program, but got no justice in appeals.

Will we fare better in 2010? Only time will tell, but I certainly hope the Mayor will plan ahead for a successful Census drive, whether or not she is elected to a second term.

On the other side of the question, I have noticed for years that many African-American residents -- not all of them older -- are selling and moving to the South. Among two I have spoken with recently who are planning such a move are a former Councilor and a former School Board member.

Reason? Lower home prices, lower taxes, lower cost of living, and less stressful living. What's not to like about that?

The struggle over an accurate count of residents is important for more than just reasons of pride of place, however.

Consider that if we can tip the scales at 50,001, we will be eligible to receive our Community Development Block Grant funds DIRECTLY and not through the County. That would be a nice difference, not having to give a cut of our portion to other communities!

We also want to know that more people are moving in than moving out -- and with ever higher incomes -- otherwise, how will we ever sell those hundreds and hundreds of condos on the horizon?

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More on the Census --

Ledger: "Drop recorded in Plainfield, though County grows"

-- Dan Damon

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ARCHIVED POSTS OF PLAINFIELD TODAY FROM 11/03/2005 THROUGH 12/31/2006 ARE AT
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