Upton Asks OMB Not to Change Population Requirement for Metro Areas
Press Release
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton today sent a letter to the Biden Administration's acting director of the Office of Management and Budget requesting they do not change the population requirement for a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) from 50,000 to 100,000 residents. If this change was adopted, six MSAs in Michigan, and 144 nationally, would lose their MSA and be relegated to a micropolitan, including the Niles-Benton Harbor MSA in Upton's Sixth Congressional District.
This change would lead initially to a loss of current data about employment statistics and may lead to a significant reduction in federal dollars coming to the Niles-Benton Harbor MSA.
"These federal dollars spur state, local, and private investment that creates jobs and bolsters the economy," Upton wrote. "As we continue to emerge from the pandemic we must focus our energy on policies that improve the wellbeing and economic opportunities for all Americans and request you do not implement the recommendation increasing the population to be considered a metropolitan statistical area."
"The federal government changing the population numbers for metropolitan areas will have a profound and lasting negative impact on Southwest Michigan and smaller metropolitan areas in Michigan like Battle Creek, Midland, and others," said Todd Gustafson, President and CEO of Kinexus Group, which works with more than 2,000 businesses in Michigan on workforce and economic development initiatives. "This move could impact funding levels for planning organizations, housing and urban development, and badly needed transportation funding for crumbling roads and bridges. We want to thank Congressman Upton for taking the lead and trying to stop this move that could hurt economic and workforce development in small towns and rural communities across the country."
The other five regions in Michigan that would lose MSA Status are Battle Creek, Bay City, Jackson, Midland, and Monroe.
The letter was also signed by U.S. Reps. Peter Meijer, Tim Walberg, John Moolenaar, and Dan Kildee.
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