Aurora mayor says census is insufficient and hurts city

According to the 2020 census report, the city of Aurora’s population decreased from about 197,000 in 2010 to about 180,000 now, indicating a loss of 17,000 residents.

However, the decline is an unfortunate and unacceptable product of a flawed 2020 Census report, which exacerbates inaccuracies and calls for a revision of population estimates to correct this serious error.

We know this is a mistake because we can clearly see that there are no large expanses of newly vacated houses or blighted and empty areas in our city, and the houses themselves did not disappear into thin air. Furthermore, the people who lived in those houses did not simply disappear, they still live here.

Additionally, we strongly reject that the city has lost approximately 3,000 additional residents in just the last three years, since the date of the 2020 census faulty count, which the Census Bureau also suggests. It is painfully clear that there is a significant undercount, particularly in Aurora’s growing Hispanic districts.

Consequently, the bureau’s new calculation errors worsen the already incorrect 2020 Census and therefore require a revision of population estimates to correct the errors that have negatively impacted Aurora. For these reasons, we are carrying out the arduous process of a special census count.

Undercounting has serious and unfair consequences for our beloved city of Aurora. This directly impacts the allocation of crucial state and federal funds determined by the population. The undercount has already cost our city millions of dollars, depriving us of essential resources for new roads, schools and other critical public sector efforts.

Furthermore, it is counterproductive and downright baffling that, instead of rectifying the 2020 count, the Census Bureau decided to issue new estimates based on the same erroneous data. This injustice cannot be ignored and requires immediate action.

My constituents need to know that Aurora has not only lost millions of dollars annually since the inaccurate 2020 census, but we will continue to lose millions. While my administration will surely continue to work diligently to obtain a recount and special census, it is an extremely frustrating process that takes time to address these errors.

In fact, the Census Bureau should be held accountable for getting it wrong. You should stop releasing new population estimates until you have corrected the flawed 2020 census results. We must come together to ensure our city is accurately represented and our voices are heard loudly.

Our residents must be counted fairly! We must ensure that Aurora receives the resources and recognition she deserves. That’s why I’m calling on the Census Bureau to step up and be more responsible and responsive in this process.

Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin

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