Unfortunately, even these latest census figures are probably still too low, since the census canvassers tend to miss many immigrants and others in poorer areas. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani needs to join the mayors of other metropolitan areas who are pressing for release of detailed adjusted data from the Census Bureau to determine whether the city would benefit from statistical sampling expected to help make up for some of the undercount. The new numbers stand as a clear challenge to New York's political and urban thinkers to deal more quickly with the needs of a growing city. For too long, New York has been mostly patching and fixing an infrastructure planned and built many decades ago. This new data confirms the need for fresh, long-term strategies to cope with such difficulties as aging, crowded schools, an antiquated subway and transportation system, the scarcity of affordable housing, and a commercial sector that needs space and services to maintain a thriving economy.
Bigger populations impose bigger responsibilities.
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