Alabama Would Lose Seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas Under Federal Proposal
A proposal before the federal Office of Management and Budget would reduce the number of Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Alabama from 12 to five, a move that is not welcomed by officials of the cities losing the MSA status.
A committee of federal statistical agencies has made the proposal to OMB that would leave intact MSAs with 100,000 populations in their core cities. In Alabama, that’s Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Huntsville and Tuscaloosa.
The remaining seven MSAs statewide would be reclassified as “micropolitan” statistical areas with core populations of 50,000 to 99,999. Those are Decatur, Dothan, Baldwin County, Auburn-Opelika, Florence-Muscle Shoals, Anniston-Oxford and Gadsden.
A March 2020 bulletin from the OMB said the change is “solely for statistical purposes.” But some Alabama local officials whose areas stand to lose the MSA designation say that’s not so.
“MSA is a marketing tool,” said Morgan County Economic Development President Jeremy Nails. “It gives a level of population and growth. A lot of projects will only locate in certain populations.”
Nails said he does not understand how the new designations cannot change federal funding formulas: “All federal formulas are based on income levels, wages, ethnicity and other demographics.”
Florence Mayor Andy Betterton said the designation change “would eliminate important benefits to citizens” and have a negative effect on funding and planning for community development, transportation and economic development for the city of Florence and the entire Shoals area.
In a letter to the federal budget office, the mayor of Opelika urged the proposal be dropped, according to the Associated Press.
“The risk to vital services within our community, our state and the millions of impacted Americans across this country far outweigh any limited statistical value that might be gained from this proposal,” wrote Mayor Gary Fuller.
Nails said those affected by the change need to do research and negotiate the impacts of the proposed designations.
“There will be a unified response of local officials,” he added.
Both the Opelika and Decatur MSAs received national recognition recently. The two were cited by Site Selection magazine for their industrial projects.
The new standards would be applied in 2023, according to the OMB, which is seeking public comment on the proposal through March 19, according to a Federal Register notice.
The current MSA designations have been in effect since 1950 when about half of U.S. residents lived in metro areas; now, 86% do, according to the AP.
There are 939 MSAs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Memory loss: As AI gobbles up chips, prices for devices may rise
Demand for memory chips currently exceeds supply and there's very little chance of that changing any time soon. More chips for AI means less available for other products such as computers and phones and that could drive up those prices too.
Brigitte Bardot, sex goddess of cinema, has died
Legendary screen siren and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has died at age 91. The alluring former model starred in numerous movies, often playing the highly sexualized love interest.
For Ukrainians, a nuclear missile museum is a bitter reminder of what the country gave up
The Museum of Strategic Missile Forces tells the story of how Ukraine dismantled its nuclear weapons arsenal after independence in 1991. Today many Ukrainians believe that decision to give up nukes was a mistake.
Jeffrey R. Holland, next in line to lead Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies at 85
Jeffrey R. Holland led the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a key governing body. He was next in line to become the church's president.
Winter storm brings heavy snow and ice to busy holiday travel weekend
A powerful winter storm is impacting parts of the U.S. with major snowfall, ice, and below zero wind chills. The conditions are disrupting holiday travel and could last through next week.
Disability rights advocate Bob Kafka dead at 79
Bob Kafka was an organizer with ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today), a group which advocates for policy change to support people with disabilities.
