Family Life

12.21.10 | Sarah Harnisch

  The official numbers from the 2010 Census are due out today. If government estimates prove to be true, America's once incredible population growth could drop to its lowest level in 7 decades. Early estimates put the U.S. population between 305 million and 312 million, up from 281 million in 2000. If that is the case, that means the range for U.S. growth over the previous decade would be the lowest since the 1940 census; the census taken at the start of World War 2.
    If the population shifts happen the way analysts believe-- New York could stand to loose 1, maybe 2 seats in the house. Pennsylvania will loose 1 seat. A seat in the upstate region, where population growth has been the slowest, seems all but certain to disappear.  If two seats are on the chopping block, the second to go may be from the New York City area. Democrats in the state legislature, who split control over the redistricting process with republicans, would love to target one of several incoming freshmen republicans – including Ann Marie Buerkle, who will occupy a Syracuse-area seat that currently leans democratic.