Change from town to city means accessibility to funds
Local officials have noted that the 2020 Census is expected to reveal that the Town of Haughton will become the City of Haughton.
“The Town of Haughton is hopeful that we will exceed the minimum population requirement to become a city in the 2020 census. Our latest population estimate is 4,987 about two years ago, so we are very close,” said Haughton Mayor Jack Hicks.
But, locals have wanted to know why that is a big deal and what does it mean for them?
When a town becomes a city, those new city officials could have more access to state funds and grants for city projects.
Mayor Hicks explained if Haughton does in fact transition into a city, this means the town will likely be eligible for more money to assist with maintaining the continued growth of the city.
“If we transition in to a city, we will likely be eligible for more sources of funding to assist in maintaining our growth. We will also likely have to expand some of our departments as well. We are anxious to see the results of the census and are prepared for whatever the results reveal,” said Hicks.
In Louisiana, municipal corporations are divided based on population into three classes: cities, towns, and villages. Those having 5,000 inhabitants or more are classified as cities; those having less than 5,000 but more than 1,000 inhabitants are classified as towns; and those having 1,000 or fewer inhabitants are classified as villages.
