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MuniNet Medley: 12/28/11 - Demographic Trends, Municipal Pensions, and Rolling the Dice in Detroit

“Thank you!” ... “We love it!” ... and “How did you know that’s what we wanted?” ... that’s our response to the U.S. Census Bureau’s new home page, unveiled as a perfect holiday gift to us demographic aficionados!  Our favorite new features:  the Economic Indicators dashboard, Census news prominently featured on the home page, and the use of interactive maps for a variety of topics.  These enhancements are just the beginning, as the Census Bureau plans to continue redeveloping the site over the coming year ...

... In an insightful year-end round-up, The Brookings Institution identifies Five Things the Census Revealed about America in 2011.  Far be it from us to spoil its findings, but a few hints:  the report includes facts about U.S. population growth (slow), median household income (declining), the greatest source of growth in the U.S. (minorities), and the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population (guess!) ...

... The nation’s capital is experiencing a positive demographic shift, “growing at a pace that outstripped anything seen in the boom years preceding it,” according to the Washington Post.  Bucking national trends, three in four new D.C. residents are between the ages of 18 and 34 ...

... After an overhaul of the state’s pension system, lawmakers in Rhode Island will be shifting their focus to municipalities.  At issue: should cities and towns be granted to power to revamp their own municipal pension plans?  According to a CBS MoneyWatch article, mayors from around the state are concerned about meeting the ever-increasing costs of their retirement systems, and may need to resort to increasing taxes or decreasing public services if they are not given the authority to cut pension costs.  Governor Lincoln Chaffee says, “2012 has to be a year we focus on the cities and towns ....”

.... When the going gets tough, the tough go - gambling?  Apparently that’s the case in Detroit, where revenues from the city’s three casinos are poised to set a new annual record in 2011, reports the Detroit Free Press.  Combined casino revenues already topped $1.3 billion in November, setting them on a track to reach or exceed annual revenues of $1.4 billion for the first time ...