Report: Texas will get four extra seats in US House in 2010

As usual, New England's loss is Texas' gain.

Election Data Systems, a political demographics consulting firm, reports that updated census figures from July show that Texas is due three extra seats in the US House, and that will rise to four seats by the time apportionment happens in 2010.

The losers: Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Texas will gain more members in the House than any other state, according to the report. Four other states - Florida, Georgia, Nevada, and Utah - would each gain a seat and Arizona would likely nab two. Depending on how population trends move in the next two years, Oregon, North Carolina and South Carolina might get extra seats too.

Thank (or blame) Texas' steady population growth, due in no small part to our state's stickiness.

And our neighbor to the east, Louisiana, has nearly recovered from its mass migration losses following Hurricane Katrina. If it hadn't, the state could have been due to lose more than just the one seat it's currently projected to give up.

"The severe decline in the state’s population as a result of Katrina in August 2005 has been nearly made up in the 2008 estimates. The state is just short of where its population was reported in 2000 with these new estimates," according to the report.

-Aman Batheja

Comments

[Gary]

While the state's "stickiness" contributes to its growth, the primary reason for the astounding growth in recent years (1.5 million in the last 3 years, 3.5 million since 2000 census, 7.4 million since 1990) is primarily due to its attractiveness to outsiders. This year it added over 230,000 outsiders, far more than any other state. Of those 140,000 came from other parts of the US (almost 80,000 more than any other state), 92,000 from other countries (third after California & New York -- mostly legal). The vast majority of both groups make the state a more interesting place to live!

[Suzette Watkins]

All the more reason to not give any tax breaks (abatements) to anyone. We have the goods, they pay us...the people....the owners of the City, the all sought after, taxpayers. We supply the demand, not big business. People come to Ft. Worth for what it is...what we are;....not because the largest business' headquarters are here. Ft. Worth is made of trees and greenery and I say we keep that way, as much as possible. Money isn't everything.
http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com

[Suzette Watkins]

Oops, I got a little too focused on a local level in the above comment. However, same point can go for the whole State of Texas. We have the land and greenery which is what most of us like. Sure there are those that are happy with nothing but concrete, but for the most part I think one could say that we as a people like as much nature around as possible. This brings me to the point of why politicians feel the need to place more a burden on the tax payers by offering tax breaks to developers and businesses. We have much to offer here in Texas and we shouldn't sell out to promises. If you want to come here and set up shop, you'll have to pay just like the rest of us do.

[ChrisMarks]

Actually, when it comes to economics (and therefore population) money is everything.

[budswisr]

I lived in Texas for over 20 years and I believe if one would be truthful the biggest group of immigrants in state are illegals...So why lie about it?

[concerned]

Aw, you guys have it wrong. The GUV is responsible for it all. Just read his press clippings.

[budswisr]

Does this mean they are giving out seats for illegal mexicans living in Texas? You bet your sweet..., and long life the northern capital of Mexico.