`URGANIZED AREA' TITLE DESERVES FURTHER PURSUIT

The City Council decided last week that Cape Girardeau officials should embark upon a coordinated plan with other local governments to study ways to develop a comprehensive plan for a "Greater Cape Girardeau Urban Area." In so doing, the council had hoped the area would be designated as "urbanized" by the U.S. Census Bureau, a title that brings with it many economic advantages to local governments and businesses.

Just three days later hopes of becoming so designated faded with announcement by the Census Bureau that 33 new urbanized areas were being established, and the Cape Girardeau area was not among them. The Cape Girardeau area, which includes the city, Cape Girardeau and north Scott counties, and the cities of Jackson and Scott City, fell short of the criteria the bureau applies in determining the designation.

Judy Moss, director of economic development for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, expressed "disgust" that the area failed to obtain the designation. She said the difference between 1990 population figures of the Census Bureau and those compiled by the cities in question most likely would put the area over the minimum, 50,000-people requirement. The area was short of that number by 2,014 people. If the Census Bureau is not challenged, the area must wait until after the 2000 census, and hope it can qualify then.

The matter serves to illustrate the federal government's control of local governments' purse strings and the economic development that takes place within a particular area. In addition to the many benefits derived from becoming an urbanized area, the designation can lead to recognition as a metropolitan area, and that often results in eligibility for a variety of additional federal program funds.

Moss urged that an effort be undertaken to find the 2,014 people needed for the designation. She said, if they can be found, a case could be made for urban area designation.

We don't know if those additional people are out there, but we do join her in urging that Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City and the county commissions of Cape and Scott counties undertake an all-out effort to determine why the area failed to meet the Census Bureau criteria and that the issue be pressed to its fullest extent.

Cape Girardeau's plan to study ways to coordinate a comprehensive plan for an urban area would have to be put on the back burner, but the city now should turn its attention to coordinating a plan aimed at challenging the Census Bureau's figures. Too many benefits are at stake to wait until the turn of the century to try for it again.