State still growing

Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.

Nevada retained its title as the fastest growing state in the nation and will gain a new seat in Congress, the Census Bureau announced Tuesday in its first release of information on 2010 population count.

Even with the economic slowdown at the end of the last decade, the state’s population grew by

35 percent over the last decade and stands at

2.7 million. But more than providing bare numbers, the census, which is taken once every decade, is significant in many ways for Nevada. For example:

• Increased representation: The state will have four members in the House of Representatives starting in 2013, giving Nevada a larger voice in Congress. The state also stands to benefit financially because the census numbers are used by federal agencies to distribute billions of dollars in aid.

• A slice of America: Nevada is becoming a microcosm of America, particularly as its growth is much like the nation’s — focused on suburban development. The Brookings Institution declared Nevada to be part of the “new heartland of America,” and the state has proved to be a bellwether — in 24 of the past 25 presidential elections, Nevada has voted for the winner.

For that matter, Nevada has seen its political clout grow over the past decade with the rise of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Over the complaints of Iowa and other states that traditionally hold early presidential caucuses and primaries, Reid helped move Nevada’s Democratic caucus up near the front of the line in 2008, and its influence grew. Seeing the Democrats’ success, Republicans are moving up the Nevada presidential caucus for 2012.

• Reapportionment: The addition of the new congressional seat will set off a political scramble. The Legislature will have to draw the lines of the state’s congressional districts this year, and that’s a process that lends itself to political wrangling. The issue forced the Legislature into a special session in 2000, and this year it will likely be more difficult because the state budget shortfall will consume much of the lawmakers’ time.

Reapportionment will also likely inflame the north-south split in the Legislature — lawmakers will have to redraw their own districts as well. Additionally, politicians in Northern Nevada have seen their power erode over the years as Clark County’s population has grown, moving legislative districts to the south. There have been discussions about adding seats to the Legislature to protect incumbent politicians in Northern Nevada so they don’t have to run against one another. In light of looming budget cuts, adding seats to the Legislature for political purposes just doesn’t make sense.

• Continued growth: The state’s growth rate has been more than 60 percent in four of the past six censuses, and the 35 percent growth rate in the past decade was the lowest since the 1940 census. As we have noted before, Nevada hasn’t kept up with the torrid pace of growth and lags in important services such as infrastructure and schools.

The census report, while full of good news, should be a reminder that there is much to do beyond drawing new district lines. State lawmakers should consider what Nevada will look like in another decade — and plan for it.