Durbin Leads Colleagues In Urging Census Bureau To Open Appeals Process For Formerly Joint Urban Areas Now In Jeopardy Of Losing Needed Federal Funding
Without an appeals process, areas like Carbondale-Marion would lose access to urban levels of federal transit funding
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in sending a letter to U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Santos urging him to open an appeals process for the change in maximum jump distance, which is the distance of undeveloped land between two cities that allows the municipalities to qualify as a joint urban area, following the 2020 Census. For more than 20 years, the maximum jump distance has been 2.5 miles; however, the Census Bureau has reduced the maximum jump distance to 1.5 miles. This decision, along with the estimated, significant undercount of Illinois’ population in the 2020 Census, will impact Illinois communities, as Carbondale-Marion has previously relied on jump distance to secure urban transit funding.
“We are writing to express our concern regarding the Census Bureau’s March 2022 Urban Area Final Criteria published in the Federal Register (87 FR 16706), which decreased the maximum jump distance to 1.5 miles for undeveloped land to connect two cities to qualify as a joint urban area,” the Senators wrote.
In their letter, the lawmakers called on Director Santos to open an appeals process for the decision to limit jump distance to 1.5 miles, noting that impacted communities should have ample time to comment on the consequences of the decision and voice their opposition. The Senators emphasized that the change will lead to a loss of funding for Illinois communities that rely on federal funding formulas to address local transit concerns.
“As such, we respectfully request that the Census Bureau open an appeals process for this decision—one that allows for proper notice to the affected areas in our constituencies and provides them with a sufficient opportunity to comment on the ramifications of such a change,” the Senators wrote.
“Otherwise, beginning with Fiscal Year 2024 funding, these areas stand to lose substantial federal funding. This includes a significant change in Federal Transit Administration funding, as many of these areas stand to lose substantial federal funding. This includes a significant change in Federal Transit Administration funding… Additionally, these areas may also face operability issues and forced staffing cuts as a result of decreased funding and splitting of jurisdiction,” the lawmakers continued.
The lawmakers concluded the letter, reiterating the impact this jump distance change would have.
“We ask for your timely response to this issue, and in enabling all presently split, but formerly joint urban areas to appeal and the aforementioned Final Criteria,” the Senators wrote.
Durbin continues to sound the alarm about Illinois’ potential loss of federal funding following the Census Bureau’s undercount of Illinois in the 2020 Decennial Census. Illinois is estimated to have a larger population than was officially counted, with an estimated undercount rate of 1.97 percent, meaning that the Census only accounted for 12.8 million of Illinois’ likely 13 million residents. Because of the undercount, Illinois is in danger of losing valuable federal funding over the next ten years. The Census is used to allocate roughly $1.5 trillion, through about 100 programs including Medicaid, SNAP, Medicare Part B, Highway Planning and Construction, and Pell grants.
Durbin has repeatedly called on Director Santos to correct the count, pressing him to use the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey (PES) count, hosting a meeting with Director Santos on the issue, and sending a follow-up letter calling for a more accurate count.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
September 13, 2023
Dear Director Santos:
We are writing to express our concern regarding the Census Bureau’s March 2022 Urban Area Final Criteria published in the Federal Register (87 FR 16706), which decreased the maximum jump distance to 1.5 miles for undeveloped land to connect two cities to qualify as a joint urban area.
As you know, this jump distance has been 2.5 miles since the 2000 Census, and the Census Bureau abandoned its 2010 attempt to reduce this distance to 1.5 miles. Therefore, this change has split formerly joint urban areas that have held this status for 20 years.
While we recognize that the Census Bureau proposed the initial criteria for public comment in February 2021, we do not believe there was sufficient notice to the joint urban areas at risk of losing both this status and the federal funding for which it enabled them to qualify. The most important public comments for the Census Bureau to review to understand the weight of this change would have been from the local governments and residents of these jurisdictions.
As such, we respectfully request that the Census Bureau open an appeals process for this decision—one that allows for proper notice to the affected areas in our constituencies and provides them with a sufficient opportunity to comment on the ramifications of such a change. Otherwise, beginning with Fiscal Year 2024 funding, these areas stand to lose substantial federal funding. This includes a significant change in Federal Transit Administration funding, as many of these areas will lose the former, higher amount of 5337 Urbanized Area Formula Funding they previously have received in exchange for lower 5311 Formula Grants for Rural Areas. Additionally, these areas may also face operability issues and forced staffing cuts as a result of decreased funding and splitting of jurisdiction.
We ask for your timely response to this issue, and in enabling all presently split, but formerly joint urban areas to appeal and the aforementioned Final Criteria. We stand ready to answer any questions on this matter or provide further information.
Sincerely,
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