Lawmaker: Census Will Affect Federal Funding

State Rep. Vicki Barnett, D-Farmington Hills, said Monday's news that Michigan has lost 0.6 percent of its population makes the state's federal "donor" status even more difficult to swallow.

The population loss will affect "the flow of federal dollars," Barnett said. "It's bad enough we're already a donor state."

According to a press release her office issued in November 2009, the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan educational organization, determined that Michigan received only 92 cents back for every dollar the state sent to Washington in 2005. 

Barnett introduced a bill during the last legislative session that asked Congress to keep Michigan — and other states with above-average unemployment rates — from sending more money to Washington than they receive in federal dollars.

"We had 110 signatures, out of 110 legislators," Barnett said of the bill. "It sat on (state Sen.) Nancy Cassis' desk until this session expired."

Cassis was a term-limited Republican from Novi who represented the 15th District in the state Senate.

Barnett said she was shocked that Michigan was the only state to lose population. Other states, such as Texas, have gained enough in population to add congressional seats.

"Some people are talking about a power shift," Barnett said, "but the Congress works on a seniority system. The retirement of some of our senior members has had more of an impact."

Population shifts have also occurred within Michigan, she added, and that could affect reapportionment of state House seats. Officials will take the state's population and divide it by 110 (the number of House seats) to determine the average population represented in each district.

Barnett doesn't expect much to change in the 37th District, which includes Farmington and Farmington Hills. She said this area was a little larger than average when lines were drawn after the 2000 Census and has not changed much.

"It would be really hard to break up Farmington and Farmington Hills," she said. "Other areas, like Macomb, will probably gain House seats. Wayne County may lose."

Barnett believes Oakland County will remain "pretty stable."

"It does affect which counties will have more clout," she added.

Barnett believes the census numbers point to the need for a federal "urban agenda" that drives development and redevelopment where infrastructure already exists.

"We need to build where the people already are, rather than in the suburbs," she said.

Despite the census news, Barnett said, she remains optimistic about Michigan's future. "I think our darkest days are behind us."