Baltimore City Population Increases

Stop the presses!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Baltimore City increased by 1,100 residents between July 2011 and July 2012.

That is the first increase in population since the 1950s.

That is no small feat. 

That is big news.

How we got here is a bit confusing (see the Baltimore Sun for a detailed explanation).  But one thing is pretty certain, our population increase has been fueled by immigrants - mainly Hispanic immigrants - to be more accurate.

Other cities in the Northeast megalopolis have seen population growth over the last decade mainly due to Hispanic immigrants.  It took Baltimore some catching up but it seems we have finally joined the party.

But it seems Mayor Rawlings-Blake is a bit underwhelmed by the great news for our city.  She is quoted in the Baltimore Sun as saying the population increase is "certainly a step in the right direction."

I understand we still have a long way to go before this blip in the census number becomes a permanent trend, but I would expect the Mayor to show a little bit more excitement.

In fact, as the Sun reports, despite her apparent success at promoting Baltimore to "foreign-born people", this is not part of her long range plans for continued growth.

I respectfully request that the Mayor reevaluate her "plan". 

I have always said that in order to turn this city around, we must focus on crime, grime, and property taxes.  I am now revising that statement.  The new business plan should be to focus on crime, grime, and immigrants.  If we continue to see population growth the property tax issue and many other issues will take care of themselves. 

And just think, our population grew without a new trash tax.

I, for one, am ecstatic about our growth. 

I sincerely believed I would never live to see this day.