New York Could Lose 2 House Seats in the Next Census

The New York Times reports:

New York State’s population grew by a hair in the year that ended July 1, but because Sun Belt states like Nevada, Arizona and Florida are growing faster, the Empire State stands to lose seats in Congress after the 2010 Census.

An analysis by Queens College of population trends suggests that Texas will gain as many as four Congressional seats and Florida’s delegation will grow by two, while New York and Ohio will lose two seats each.

The projected decline in House representation is only the latest installment of long trend.

New York’s delegation in the House of Representatives peaked at 45 seats, following the 1930 Census. As other states grew more quickly, New York’s share in the House got smaller. Now, New York has only 29 seats, and stands to have only 27 after the next Census.

The last time New York had 27 seats in the House was after the 1810 Census — when the chamber had only 181 seats in the House — according to the House’s apportionment Web site.

At the time, those 27 seats represented about 15 percent of the House. Now, with 435 seats, a 27-member delegation would represent a little more than 6 percent of the chamber.

Part of the impact would no doubt be psychological, said some observers, especially given that some of the states on the demographic rise, like Texas, are so culturally and politically different than New York.

“We are in a state that is no longer the Empire State,” said Douglas A. Muzzio, a professor at the Baruch College School of Public Affairs. “We are long past our prime. The political and geographic and demographic center of the country is shifting rapidly.”

I guess high taxes,unions,and government corruption aren't the wave of the future.