DETROIT – Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan described the U.S. Census Bureau as “The most incompetent division of the federal government.”
It comes after the latest estimate shows Detroit lost 8,000 people between 2021 and 2022.
That puts the city in 29th place for the highest population in the country, which is down from 27th.
Local 4 has seen battle after battle between Duggan and the census bureau, but with the latest numbers, he said he had enough.
“The census bureau is the most incompetent division of the entire federal government,” said Duggan.
(2/3) The U.S. Postal Service reported that there was an increase of 2,300 residential homes in Detroit receiving mail in 2022. That followed an increase of 4,000 new occupied houses the U.S. Postal Service reported in 2021.
— Mayor Mike Duggan (@MayorMikeDuggan) May 18, 2023
(3/3) The only people in America who could conclude that Detroit’s population is decreasing is the Census Bureau. Maybe it’s time to move the Census Bureau under the U.S. Postal Service so it will be run by people who actually have some clue about who is living where in America.
— Mayor Mike Duggan (@MayorMikeDuggan) May 18, 2023
Duggan was very vocal in person and on social media about his displeasure with the U.S. Census Bureau, saying it has become a complete national clown show on Twitter.
“We’ve got DTE saying there’s been 5,000 more houses in Detroit that have a lot of electricity and gas,” Duggan said. “The postal service says we’re delivering mail to 6,000 more houses. We’ve got 25 housing projects being built around the city because people are moving in so quickly, and these guys say we listed 8,000 more people last year and 7,000 the year before. It makes no sense.”
“The reality of the census now with the government as it stands, who knows,” said Detroiter Brent Vance.
The numbers tell two different stories meaning is it a case of undercounting or under-participation?
“I just think it’s more so an issue of reaching people because the people are here, and they’ve been here for a minute,” said Detroiter Rangant Hkathiwte. “I just think it’s an issue of people sending it to the mail, but you’re not getting the mail, and you need a code from the mail to actually do it online, so, if you don’t have internet access, what are you supposed to do?”
Hkathiwte filled out his census form, but he’s one of the only ones in his family to do so.
“A lot of people in my family didn’t want to do it because why bother,” Hkathiwte said. “They don’t see any benefit in it, so what’s the point.”
“You feel out a single sheet of paper, and that’s it,” said Detroiter Henry Stater. “It’s so easy that why not do it.”
As a result, the city could face losing monetary funds based on the number of people counted, but Duggan says that’s not the main focus.
“The federal funding, I don’t know what it is, it is the millions of dollars, but that’s not really the point,” Duggan said. “I want our folks counted, and we’re going to fight till every Detroiter gets counted.”
The census bureau is supposed to be handing over the formula for how they calculate these numbers. The city’s patiently waiting for that to do it’s own math. We’ll see what happens.
