Owensboro will keep its status as a metropolitan area after no changes were made to the threshold for population. A proposal to raise the threshold from 50,000 residents to 100,000 could have jeopardized federal funding for the city.
The announcement came Friday from U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Congressman Brett Guthrie, who said the Office of Management and Budget will maintain the Metropolitan Statistical Area population threshold.
Earlier this year, McConnell and Guthrie contacted Acting OMB Director Rob Fairweather on behalf of their constituents to express their opposition to changes to the MSA population threshold.
“Today’s good news is a win for Kentucky’s mid-sized communities, allowing them to avoid any potential loss of access to vital federal funds,” McConnell said. “After hearing from local leaders concerned about this potential change, I was happy to assist their efforts to oppose adjustments to the MSA designation population threshold.”
Said Guthrie: “I’m thrilled we were able to secure this victory for Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, and Owensboro. … The proposal would have downgraded these three cities’ classification, which could have had a negative impact on economic development opportunities and eligibility for federal funding.”
Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson said residents “can now be confident they will not lose access to vital federal resources because of a change to our MSA status. This is an incredibly positive outcome for our area and the families and businesses who call it home.”
