PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) - The population in Jefferson County continues to decline, and county officials said they’re intent on finding out the cause of why so many people have left.
New U.S. Census estimates showed that Jefferson County lost an estimated 4,244 residents since the 2010 Census, leaving the county with a population of 73,191. The new estimates show a continued downward slide since 2000, when Jefferson County had more than 84,000 residents.
“Right now, we just don’t know what to do,” Jefferson County Judge Dutch King said. “But it’s vital to our future that we figure out what the answer is and start solving this issue very quickly.”
King told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (https://bit.ly/1ip5NXk ) he’s most worried about a shrinking tax base, especially because the county already operates on a tight budget.
“One thing I see is we all really need to start working together and forget petty differences,” the county judge said. “This bleeding has to stop, and we really need to make a concerted effort to turn those numbers around.”
Jefferson County is home to Pine Bluff, about 45 miles southeast of Little Rock. The Pine Bluff metropolitan area is often named as one of the most dangerous small cities in the nation, based on analyses of FBI crime statistics, though city and county leaders dispute that. Pine Bluff police said violent crime declined overall in 2013.
The Pine Bluff City Council has approved a $175,000 plan backed by Mayor Debe Hollingsworth to promote the city to the rest of the state in hopes that a positive image will attract more residents.
“Our city has done a poor job managing negativity, and therefore we have allowed crime to become a defining factor of our city,” Hollingsworth said. “And, conversely, when we have positive news, do we know how to maximize the impact of the good news?”
Andrew Bingham is among the residents who have left the county in recent years. Bingham, who works in Pine Bluff, recently moved with his family to a home in rural Pulaski County.
“I have been watching the population decline myself, and I feel like the city and county are in the unfortunate position now of people leaving because of the population decline,” he said. “I have to admit, that was one of my reasons. No one wants to live in a ghost town.”
___
Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, https://www.arkansasonline.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.