Counting Down | An in-depth look at what the U.S. Census means to Massachusetts
Four days before Christmas the U.S. Census Bureau released some rather unsurprising news for congressional politics buffs: Massachusetts will be losing one of its 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The commonwealth has grown during the past decade, according to the Census, but not quite as fast as other states.
Now, state, local and quasi-governmental officials are wondering what the fallout of the census results will mean moving forward.
Fair Share
Some federal funds are allocated based on state population and congressional apportionment, so losing a seat could mean fewer dollars for the state in some categories, according to Sharon Krefetz, who specializes in urban politicians as chair of the political science department at Clark University in Worcester.
Specifically, the federal Community Development Block Grant is one of the least restrictive forms of state aid from the federal government and is doled out based on population, according to Krefetz.
It’s unclear what the Bay State’s loss of a congressional seat will mean for that program, she said, but the state could expect to not see as great of an increase in funding from CDBG moving forward. CDBG funds are distributed by the state to communities around Massachusetts and can be used for a variety of community-focused initiatives.
Other experts don’t expect the census data to have a dramatic effect.
According to Timothy Reardon, a senior analyst with the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission in Boston, perhaps the bigger change to watch is with new leadership in the U.S. Congress. Conservatives took control of the U.S. House of Representatives this month and have signaled a belt-tightening attitude across the country, which could equate to cutbacks in spending across a whole host of programs.
“The formulas set by Congress and the federal agencies are subject to a lot of political and policy considerations,” Reardon said. “I don’t expect any one set of population data to present a quantum shift in money being allocated. In some ways, what will affect us more is how big the pie is.”
Changes Afoot
That shrinking pie is what concerns some Central Massachusetts nonprofit leaders who rely on funding from the federal government.
“Losing someone hurts,” said Karen Koller, president and CEO of Gardner-based nonprofit organization RCAP Solutions Inc. “The Massachusetts delegation works together as a voice for the entire state, so if you lose one of those voices, it’s definitely a concern.”
The feeling is exacerbated because of the region RCAP serves, she said. The organization runs a variety of local assistance programs and its largest source of federal funding is through Section 8 subsidized housing payments.
While RCAP works in Gardner, Worcester and Fitchburg, it also serves rural communities like Westminster.
“When you come from a more rural area where the communities are smaller and the needs are smaller, it can be tough to fight for money,” she said. “But the need is still there.”
Still, Koller seems to understand the realities of a new political and economic era. Changes in state populations combined with the drying up of federal stimulus funds means that Koller is expecting changes in the coming years.
“We’re kidding ourselves if we don’t think there are going to be cuts across the country,” she said.
Frances Anthes, president and CEO of Family Health Center of Worcester, said she’s confident in the state’s ability to attract funding from the federal government. The nonprofit health center receives a couple millions dollars annually as part of contracts the group has with the federal government.
“I think Massachusetts stands up really well when funds are given out in a competitive process because we do a good job of knowing what the needs are in the community and articulating those needs,” she said. “The real issue, I think, will be just how much is available to divvy up.” n
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