[Chat] DC, Baltimore, Towson together

[Emil Volcheck]

Here's an interesting story from the Sun.

Around the time of the Census, I heard about some concern
as to whether the Washington, D.C.--Baltimore metropolitan
area might be split, and that this could adversely impact
Baltimore.  The good news is that we haven't been split!
Furthermore, Baltimore and Towson are now together in
the same statistical subdivision.

So we still live in the nation's fourth-largest metropolitan
area while enjoying the comforts of city living on a
smaller scale.

--Emil

The full story is at 

http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/bal-md.towsonx23jul23,0,3548238.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

---

...

When the federal Office of Management and Budget completed its
once-a-decade review of the classifications it uses in naming
metropolitan statistical areas this year, it decided to give more
recognition to suburban communities with major employment centers.

That means that the Baltimore Metropolitan Statistical Area, which
includes the city and the surrounding suburban counties, is now the
Baltimore-Towson MSA.

...

More significant than the Baltimore-Towson combination, said Baltimore
Metropolitan Council spokeswoman Barbara Herron, is the OMB's decision
to keep Baltimore and Washington together as another type of
geographical statistical entity. The term for the combined area changed,
and its boundaries shifted a little, but keeping the cities together
gives them more clout.

"It's the fourth-largest, fourth-wealthiest and third-fastest-growing in
the U.S.," she said.